Innovative Waste Management and Mine Closure

Challenge the practice is addressing: This deliverable presents waste management and mine closure innovations taken up in different EU member states and on EU level. It also examines how the innovations have been facilitated by policies and legislation. Furthermore, future development recommendations for waste management and mine closure are presented.

Concrete practice to achieve the expected goal: First, the document summarises results of two previous Deliverables; one (MIN-GUIDE 5.1) of them provides a description of the policy framework in different EU Member states and on EU level and the second one (MIN-GUIDE 5.2) presents innovation evaluation criteria as well as case studies of good practices in the field of waste management and mine closure. Next, the document proceeds to present results from a stakeholder workshop “Policy Laboratory”. EU Member states’ waste management and mine closure related policies and legislation are then evaluated and a stakeholder survey is conducted in order to identify needs and gaps, and to finally analyse the results in SWOT analysis. The document then suggests recommendations for development of national mineral policies, mine closure plan and R&D programmes. Introduction of incentives measures for utilisation of recycled/secondary materials, developing financial guarantees/provision, improving transparency through dissemination of good practical cases on mine closure and waste management as well as improving the education of administrative authorities is recommended.

Expected impact/goal of the practice: The expected impact is to improve the practices and policies affecting the development of waste management and mine closure.

Who is the target user group of the practice/intervention or implementing the practice/intervention? The target groups of the practice are policy makers in EU Member states and on EU level