Reducing the amount of waste generated at source and reducing the hazardous content of that waste is regarded as the highest priority according to the Waste Hierarchy established in the Waste Framework Directive (Article 4). Waste prevention is closely linked with improving manufacturing methods and influencing consumers to demand greener products and less packaging.
The Roadmap to a resource-efficient Europe recognises the importance of waste as a resource to be fed back into the economy. The Roadmap states that a higher priority needs to be given to re-use and recycling and incentives for waste prevention and recycling have to be created. In particular, the Roadmap includes the reduction of waste generation as an "aspirational target" for waste management, which has to be achieved by 2020.
The 7th Environment Action Programme ‘Living well, within the limits of our planet’ highlights the importance of waste prevention, indicating that there is considerable potential for improving waste prevention and management in the Union to make better use of resources, open up new markets, create new jobs and reduce dependence on imports of raw materials, while having lower impacts on the environment. In particular, the 7th Environment Action Programme calls for a comprehensive strategy to combat unnecessary food waste.