Waste Management in Northern Europe

Abstract

Hazardous and municipal waste management in the F.R.G., France, the U.K. and Denmark are reviewed from the point of view of U.S. practices. There are no significant differences in technology, but the continental system for total waste management as a public utility is novel. The need to minimize illegal dumpings, which, in the first instance, is always less expensive than high technology treatment and disposal, conflicts with the "polluter pays" principle. The latter is recognized as a public relations tool, but government subsidies are used extensively to retain a high fraction of the total wastes within the system.