From waste prevention to promotion of material efficiency: change of discourse in the waste policy of Finland

Abstract This article analyses the process of preparing the proposal for a new Finnish National Waste Plan (NWP 2007–2016). The focus of this study is on the use of the alternative concepts of waste prevention or material efficiency and on the shift in discourse from the former to the latter concept. The strengths and weaknesses of these competing concepts were analysed using criteria such as synergy, semantic aspects, legal context and applicability to monitoring. The discourse presented by different stakeholder groups was analysed. The implications of choosing either of the concepts were illustrated. The author concludes that waste prevention can be promoted just as well, or even better from the perspective of improving material efficiency. The concept must be complemented by policy instruments within the chemical policy sector to cover the aspect of qualitative waste prevention.