Waste - National Responses (Hungary)

SOER 2010 Common environmental theme (Deprecated)

Topics: Resource efficiency and waste

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SOER Common environmental theme from Hungary

Topic: Waste

Published: 26 Nov 2010 Modified: 11 May 2020

In Hungary, waste management tasks are regulated by the Act on Environmental Protection (Act LIII of 1995) and by the Waste Management Act (Act XLIII of 2000). The medium- and long-term tasks are defined by the National Environmental Programme (NKP) and by the associated National Waste Management Plan (OHT). http://www.mkmconsulting.hu/skv/OHT%20II%20SKV.pdf.pdf

In the first period of the NKP2 (2003-2008) and OHT, full EU law harmonisation was achieved in the waste management sector. National programmes and regional and local waste management plans were prepared according to various waste types.

At the start of NKP2, 85 % of municipal landfills did not meet modern requirements, therefore in the field of waste management the development directions were driven primarily by the availability of waste management services and the increase of safe waste treatment.

Therefore, the first actions taken aimed at the disposal of generated wastes, and less attention was paid to the prevention, recycling and recovery. However, considerable results were achieved in the field of supply, level of service, modernisation, re-cultivation, and selective collection, which are the basis for the developments of the coming period.

The municipal waste management public service is now available at almost 100 % of the settlements.
Beside the extension of the public service, the most important development was - typically co-financed by the EU - the preparation and implementation of complex regional waste management systems.

The main results for municipal solid waste:

The number of dwellings involved in the regular collection reached the 93 % rate in 2008, which virtually means full coverage, and it is carried out by modern, closed, dust-free technologies.
The non-compliant municipal solid waste landfills were closed by 15 July 2009.The disposal is carried out by 80 regional landfills, which were implemented mostly with the support of EU-funded projects, or private funds.
The implementation of the recultivation programme for old landfills is ongoing.
The (only) one mixed municipal waste incinerator was upgraded, its energy efficiency improved. In addition, the co-burning of the combustible components of municipal waste combined with energy recovery started for example in the Matra Power Plant and in some cement factories.
Today, the selective collection system is available at more than 1 200 municipalities nationwide, for 55 % of the population.
Selective waste collection rates increased to 12 % of the total volume of municipal solid waste by 2008. Taking into account the amount of organic waste collected separately, the rate exceeds 15 %.Together with energy recovery in the capital, the overall recovery rate is 23-24 %, which means more than 1 million tonnes of municipal waste.
In the case of priority waste streams, the EU standards have been achieved. Separate waste collection systems were established for wastes belonging under the responsibility of the producers (batteries, electronic devices, fluorescent tubes, pharmaceuticals, tyres), thereby reducing the risk and quantity of mixed waste.

In many cases, restrictions in the use of hazardous substances (e.g. toxic metals) happened. In order to strengthen environmental awareness, the consumers are adequately informed about the composition of the products which become hazardous waste after use.

The National Environmental Programme for the period of 2009-2014 was adopted by Parliament with the Parliament Resolution 96/2009 (XII. 9.). It is expected that the second National Waste Management Plan will also be adopted in 2010. After the adoption of this, the second phase of regional waste management plans for the same period will enter into force.

http://www.kvvm.hu/cimg/documents/96_2009_OGY_hatarozat_NKP_3.pdf

Basic principles and long-term goals of waste management have not changed compared to the early 2000s, but the new plan must be adapted to the different social and economic environments, taking into account changes in the production, transformation of technologies, improved service levels, and the consequences of the economic crisis of 2008.

Objectives of the plan were defined based on past experiences and expected changes and enforcing the waste management hierarchy. The emphasis is placed on waste prevention, and stimulating selective waste collection and recycling in order to increase resource savings. In addition, the safety of treatment, recultivation, and the elimination of illegal waste disposal continue to play an important role.

Significant progress is most likely for residential household waste. The goal is waste reduction, collection network development, improvement of recycling rates and the further reduction of the share of disposal through incentives.

A number of comprehensive measures are required for waste prevention – and for recycling, recovery and disposal – in the area of product, technology and infrastructure development. LINK

Preventive measures:

technological development (higher rate of recycling in case of production residues, introduction of low-waste technologies, and new technologies excluding hazardous materials) and further dissemination of environmental management systems;
product development: promote eco-design, to increase the useful life of products, reusable products;
infrastructure development (for domestic goods encourage the development of service network and the creation of centres for re-use of products, the development of services, to organise the taking back and re-sale of used products, to ensure the possibility of domestic and local (community) composting of organic waste, on-site recycling of green waste. By 2015, the infrastructure of selective collection has to be ensured for 80 % of the population. Development of the household waste collection system for wastes under the responsibility of producers with the establishment of waste yards and with the involvement of commercial firms.

Other measures:

The recycling rate of the total amount of municipal waste should be increased to above 30 % and in the case of recyclable (paper, plastic, metal, glass and organic) fractions, the recycling rate should be increased to above 40 %.
The expansion of energy recovery from municipal solid waste, separation and energy recovery of the combustible fraction of mechanical-biological waste preparation with inter-regional solutions, with the use of power plants, cement factories, waste energy recovery facilities.
The recultivation and monitoring of the old, abandoned and closed landfills is a continuous task.

The majority of waste management projects (in the most recent planning period) can be implemented via EU co-financed projects or by using domestic budgetary sources. In the Environment and Energy Operational Programme (EEOP) for the period 2007-2013 - beside the development of waste management systems, and recultivation of landfills - significant sources are available (following the change of priorities) for the environmentally oriented and waste recycling development of enterprises, for domestic and local composting, development of re-use centres, as well as for PR activities and training for prevention and selective collection of wastes.

The environmentally conscious approach and the development of sustainable production and consumption habits require active government participation. For the success of this, the involvement of civil society, public, academic and civil society organisations, farmers and local governments is essential.

Environmentally appropriate behaviour has to be acquired from an early age. The Waste Management Act provides waste management skills to be taught in all educational institutions as part of the National Curriculum.

Col 01
Environmental and waste management education starts at nursery school. In recent years, several hundreds of pre-school teachers have taken part in training, and a board game (’Where to put’) and manual have been developed. http://www.kvvm.hu/szakmai/hulladekgazd/oktatas/tankonyv.html Further information and manuals are available at www.zoldovoda.hu As regards primary and high school education, a new, broader version of a learning package at www.hulladek-suli.hu has been developed, as well as publishing new study books and teacher manuals. Selective collection campaigns occur at schools regularly. All economic and technical universities offer specialisation in environmental studies and waste management. PhD education is developing increasingly. Leaflets facilitate knowledge sharing and offer detailed information in specific areas for municipalities, for other organisations and for those interested in this topic. Regarding corporate responsibility, coordinating organisations also play a significant role in awareness raising, producing numerous brochures, advertisements, education materials, and games to promote selective collection of packaging waste, batteries, accumulators, tyres, electrical and electronic equipment. They also organise events such as exhibitions and competitions. ’Product from waste’ exhibition http://www.hulladekboltermek.hu/ displays the possibilities and the results of waste reuse. Civil organisations with an environmental profile are abundant. Those specialised in waste management have achieved major results in detecting illegal waste disposal. The Waste Reduction Alliance (HuMusz, http://www.humusz.hu/tematika/angol) has always been a cornerstone of waste-related civil activities in Hungary. ’Landscape surgery’ action coordinated by them and carried out in cooperation with other organisations and the broad public, lasted several years and resulted in mapping thousands of spots and recultivating many of these. (A relevant IT-based monitoring project led by EMLA http://emla.hu/englishsite/index.shtml is in progress. See http://webmap.viamap.hu/emla/). The ministry provides resources for local communities for collecting, treating and eliminating waste. Complex programmes with a wide range of elements, including awareness raising, are being promoted. The promotion of organic waste recycling is also facilitated by civil organisations by providing practical advice, leaflets, brochures, displays, on-site education -see. e.g. http://www.szike.zpok.hu/ The most important activity of these organisations is the presentation of techniques, tools for preventing waste generation, as well as for the reuse of waste. In the framework of the ‘No Waste is Good Waste’ programme, a study was carried out (with the subtitle ’shift of paradigm’) - and as part of a set of recommendations - aiming at all actors and all fields of life (http://www.humusz.hu/onkormanyzat/az-kincs-ami-nincs-paradigmav-lt-s-hullad-kgazd-lkod-sban) emphasising common responsibility in terms of waste prevention. The ’O waste’ programme defines local, regional and national level tools and gives recommendations regarding product design and product management guidelines in order to reduce the amount and the hazardous elements of waste, with the main goal of preventing waste generation. (http://humusz.hu/nullahulladek/complete-life-zero-waste/4656). Further tools such as expert forums, exhibitions at events such as fairs and festivals help steer both citizens and economic actors towards developing the most adequate waste management attitudes. The successful examples show that results are best achieved in a wide cooperation.

Col 01

Environmental and waste management education starts at nursery school. In recent years, several hundreds of pre-school teachers have taken part in training, and a board game (’Where to put’) and manual have been developed. http://www.kvvm.hu/szakmai/hulladekgazd/oktatas/tankonyv.html

Further information and manuals are available at www.zoldovoda.hu

As regards primary and high school education, a new, broader version of a learning package at www.hulladek-suli.hu has been developed, as well as publishing new study books and teacher manuals. Selective collection campaigns occur at schools regularly.

All economic and technical universities offer specialisation in environmental studies and waste management. PhD education is developing increasingly.

Leaflets facilitate knowledge sharing and offer detailed information in specific areas for municipalities, for other organisations and for those interested in this topic.

Regarding corporate responsibility, coordinating organisations also play a significant role in awareness raising, producing numerous brochures, advertisements, education materials, and games to promote selective collection of packaging waste, batteries, accumulators, tyres, electrical and electronic equipment. They also organise events such as exhibitions and competitions.

’Product from waste’ exhibition http://www.hulladekboltermek.hu/ displays the possibilities and the results of waste reuse.

Civil organisations with an environmental profile are abundant. Those specialised in waste management have achieved major results in detecting illegal waste disposal. The Waste Reduction Alliance (HuMusz, http://www.humusz.hu/tematika/angol) has always been a cornerstone of waste-related civil activities in Hungary. ’Landscape surgery’ action coordinated by them and carried out in cooperation with other organisations and the broad public, lasted several years and resulted in mapping thousands of spots and recultivating many of these. (A relevant IT-based monitoring project led by EMLA http://emla.hu/englishsite/index.shtml is in progress. See http://webmap.viamap.hu/emla/). The ministry provides resources for local communities for collecting, treating and eliminating waste. Complex programmes with a wide range of elements, including awareness raising, are being promoted.

The promotion of organic waste recycling is also facilitated by civil organisations by providing practical advice, leaflets, brochures, displays, on-site education -see. e.g. http://www.szike.zpok.hu/

The most important activity of these organisations is the presentation of techniques, tools for preventing waste generation, as well as for the reuse of waste. In the framework of the ‘No Waste is Good Waste’ programme, a study was carried out (with the subtitle ’shift of paradigm’) - and as part of a set of recommendations - aiming at all actors and all fields of life (http://www.humusz.hu/onkormanyzat/az-kincs-ami-nincs-paradigmav-lt-s-hullad-kgazd-lkod-sban) emphasising common responsibility in terms of waste prevention.

The ’O waste’ programme defines local, regional and national level tools and gives recommendations regarding product design and product management guidelines in order to reduce the amount and the hazardous elements of waste, with the main goal of preventing waste generation. (http://humusz.hu/nullahulladek/complete-life-zero-waste/4656).

Further tools such as expert forums, exhibitions at events such as fairs and festivals help steer both citizens and economic actors towards developing the most adequate waste management attitudes. The successful examples show that results are best achieved in a wide cooperation.

List of abbreviations:

MoRD - Ministry of Rural Develeopment
NEIS/WIS - National Environmental Information System/Waste Information System
HWIS – Hungarian Water Information System
CSO - Central Statistical Office
VITUKI - VITUKI Environmental Protection and Water Management Research Institute Nonprofit Ltd.
HuMusz - Waste Reduction Alliance
NKP – National Environmental Programme
OHT – National Waste Management Plan