European waste management organisations and local authorities call for stronger support and investment for the mandatory separate collection of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW).
The Association of Cities and Regions for Sustainable Resource Management – ACR+, the European Waste Management Association – FEAD and Hazardous Waste Europe – HWE have signed a joint declaration calling for increased support, investment and cooperation to ensure the effective separate collection and management of household hazardous waste (HHW) across Europe. The organisations have partnered in the Hazards Out! initiative to raise awareness, share best practices, and build capacity for the separate collection and treatment of HHW.
The Declaration highlights the need to address the implementation challenges faced by municipalities and waste operators following the mandatory separate collection of HHW introduced in the EU since January 2025 under the revised Waste Framework Directive. Although HHW represents only around 1% of municipal waste by volume, it poses disproportionately high risks to human health, the environment, and the recycling systems if not properly managed.
“Household hazardous waste is highly complex and costly to manage. More than a year after the separate collection obligation came into force, it is still necessary to ensure that waste operators and municipalities have the right operational and financial framework and infrastructure to handle this waste safely and efficiently.” declared Paolo Campanella, Secretary General of FEAD. “This declaration is a call for the recognition of HHW as a priority waste stream requiring dedicated attention and resources”, he adds.
Drawing on insights from Hazards Out series of workshops on the separate collection of household hazardous waste, the declaration sets out recommendations for coordinated European actions both to the European Commission and the Member States. The key areas include data collection, monitoring and material characterisation, fair cost sharing mechanisms, stronger citizen awareness and engagement, and capacity building and training.
“Local authorities are at the forefront of implementing HHW collection systems, but they face many operational and financial challenges. Strengthening awareness among citizens and providing practical guidance and funding mechanisms are key to making separate collection work in practice.” stated Françoise Bonnet, Secretary General of ACR+.
The declaration also underlines the importance of investment in infrastructure, innovation, and treatment capacity, as well as continued collaboration across the value chain. Nicolas Humez, President of Hazardous Waste Europe, further commented: “Effective management of household hazardous waste requires technical expertise, expert logistics, and access to appropriate treatment capacity. By bringing together industry, municipalities and policymakers, the Hazards Out initiative demonstrates that cooperation is essential to address this complex waste stream and we reaffirm our commitment to improve its separate collection and management for a stronger circular economy in Europe.”
The Declaration is further endorsed by the European Electronics Recyclers Association – EERA and the International Solid Waste Association – ISWA, demonstrating the broad relevance of household hazardous waste management across the waste management and recycling value chain.
With this Declaration, the signatories aim to raise awareness among policymakers at European and national level to recognise the importance of HHW management in Europe and its key role in preserving the resources and the environment.
About Hazards Out!
Hazards Out! is a multi-stakeholder partnership between FEAD, ACR+, and Hazardous Waste Europe, coordinated by NOWMORE. The initiative aims to raise awareness and support the implementation of the mandatory separate collection of household hazardous waste in Europe through knowledge exchange, capacity building, and stakeholder cooperation.
Since its launch in 2025, the Hazards Out! initiative has brought together a broad community of stakeholders including municipalities, waste management companies, producer responsibility organisations, industry representatives, academia, civil society and experts to exchange best practices and identify solutions for improving HHW management across Europe. For more information, please contact: info@fead.be
Source: FEAD
