| Abstract [eng] |
The topic of Master thesis is „Waste Management Policy Development in Lithuania Applying Circular Economy Model“. During recent decades high scientists’ attention was paid to waste management. However introduction of circle economy model in Europe gave a possibility to take a look at waste management not only from environmental, but also from economical perspective. Circle economy is quite new concept, started to be analysed in European Union only few years ago. Therefore there are not so many scientific publications analysing this model and its influence on other areas. Number of such publication has increased during last few years while different aspects of circle economy were started to be analysed – operating principle of circle economy and influence on health, economy and environment (European Commission, 2014; Medkova, 2015), small and medium sized business (Rizos, Behrens, Kafyeke, Garbens, Ioannou, 2015), model introduction influence on countries‘ political and legal systems (Halkos, Petrous, 2016), etc. Although interest of scientists and experts in this area is quite high, introduction of this model and policy formation guidelines needed for the implementation were not analysed in Lithuania. Uncertainty how to transfer from present waste management policy to circle economy model and implementation of its goals in Lithuania created a need for the gathering of new data. Long time linear waste management model was used in European Union. This concept did not meet public expectations, the need to form new waste management policy appeared, with emphasis on systematic approach and practical implementation of sequence of the priorities of waste management hierarchy, which is oriented towards waste recycling and reuse, limiting waste removal in landfills. As a result circle economy concept was started to be developed. The main purpose of this concept is keep value of the products and materials on the market as long as possible and reduce amount of waste utilised in landfills. Research object – waste management policy. Research subject – formation of waste management policy using circle economy in Lithuania. Taking into consideration that formation of waste management policy using circle economy model was not analysed in Lithuania, aim of the project is to analyse waste management policy formed in Lithuania using circle economy model and to provide recommendations how to improve this area. For this purpose following objectives are formulated: to investigate waste management in the context of sustainable development concept, to identify waste management legal regulation, to analyse formed waste management policy using circle economy model. Project has found that currently formed waste management policy using circle economy ir not targeted and systematic corrections are needed in order to achieve ambitious goals of the model. Identification of corrections and their practical appliance in policy formation would probably not only lead to the achievement of circle economy goals in Lithuania, but also would contribute to the targeted waste management policy formation on national, regional and local levels. First chapter of the Project analyses theoretical aspects of waste management in the context of sustainable development concept. Second chapter provides analysis of waste management legal base in Lithuania and European Union, as well as identified correction of the legal documents introducing circle economy model. Third chapter provides qualitative research based analysis of formed Lithuanian waste management policy using circle economy model, as well as recommendations on how to improve this area. |
