Finding alternatives to traditional forms of command and control regulation is a familiar theme in EC environmental policy. Whilst innovation has proved difficult in many areas, waste regulation in particular has started to move beyond simple end of pipe solutions. It is suggested that one reason waste attracts innovative solutions is that its very existence is an environmental problem, and addressing waste production requires the involvement of a wide range of actors. This paper will explore the observation that waste regulation makes use of an unusually wide range of regulatory instruments, from the perspective of the innovative mechanisms in the End-of-Life Vehicles Directive. As well as the evolution of regulatory techniques, however, the necessary reliance of these new instruments on more traditional legal approaches can also be noted in this area.
European Energy and Environmental Law Review