Regions for Recycling (R4R)

The European project ‘Regions for Recycling’ (R4R) kicked off on18 April 2012 in Paris. R4R is an INTERREG IVC project.

Intention

The R4R project intends to optimize recycling of municipal waste in Europe and to improve the effectiveness of local or regional waste management. In Europe, Flanders is the leader in selective collection of household waste (72%). This experience and expertise has not escaped the notice of other European regions. The Public Waste Agency of Flanders (OVAM) has therefore been asked to lead the technical component of the project.

A first objective consists of streamlining the statistics for municipal waste collected by cities and regions throughout Europe in order to make them more readily comparable. To this end, a common reporting instrument and an online application tool for collecting and analysing the data for municipal waste will be developed. A database of examples of good practice will also be linked to this tool.

Through their participation in the project, the partners hope to be able to better conform to the European legislation and targets with regard to municipal waste. The ultimate goal is an actual ‘Recycling society’ in which the generation of waste is not only prevented, but waste is also used as raw material.

By participating in the project, OVAM hopes to share its experience with regard to selective collection and recycling of municipal waste with its European partners. In addition, participation in international projects always provides new insights and in this way lifts the Flemish waste policy to a higher level. The waste and materials policy is not a fixed given. Everything evolves and OVAM must continually adapt to the new developments. In this way, the Flemish municipal waste policy becomes further refined and optimised.

Project partners and coordination

Eight European regions, four cities and one international organization participate in the R4R project: Flanders, Ile de France (France), Odense (Denmark), Limerick (Ireland), Styria (Austria), Catalonia (Spain), Ilfov (Romania), Exfini Poli (an association of 30 communities spread throughout Greece), Lisbon (Portugal), Tallinn (Estonia), Sofia (Bulgaria), Zagreb (Croatia) and the Association of Cities and Regions for Recycling and Sustainable Resource Management (ACR+).

The general project coordination is in the hands of Ordif (Observatoire Régionale d'île de France). ACR+ coordinates the communications aspect of the project. OVAM coordinates the technical component of the project.

Timing and budget

The R4R project runs for a period of 3 years and finishes at the end of 2014. The overall project budget amounts to 2.2 million euro, 75% of which is financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

INTERREG IVC

INTERREG IVC is a European programme financed by the ERDF (75%). INTERREG IVC aims at the exchange of knowledge and experience among the top-scoring regions and the less developed regions in order to improve the regional policy in Europe. With its focus on innovation, the knowledge economy, environment and risk prevention, the INTERREG IVC programme aims to contribute to economic modernisation and competitiveness of Europe. INTERREG IVC is linked to the objectives of Lisbon and Gothenburg Agendas.

 

Regions for Recycling Interreg European Union