Energy Indicators for Sustainable Development: Guidelines and Methodologies International Atomic Energy Agency United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs International Energy Agency Eurostat European Environment Agency

(d) International Targets/Recommended Standards: Some countries have set 
national targets for the reduction of solid waste within a specified time frame. In 
general, proposed measures for dealing with waste range from the introduction of 
cleaner technology and waste minimization to reuse, recycling, incineration and, when 
all other options have been exhausted, landfill. 
(e) Linkages to Other Indicators: This indicator is specifically linked to the 
indicator on solid waste generation to units of energy produced. It is also linked to 
other economic and environmental indicators including indigenous energy production, 
energy use per capita, energy intensity, energy mix, energy supply efficiency, 
accumulated quantity of solid wastes to be managed, land area taken up by waste 
dumping, etc. 
METHODOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION
(a) Underlying Definitions and Concepts: For the purpose of this indicator, the 
energy sector includes the following activities: 
• Extraction of crude oil, natural gas, coal, lignite, peat, oil shales and other 
primary fuels. Harvesting of wood for fuel and extraction of uranium are not 
included. 
• Conditioning of primary fuels (e.g. production of coal and lignite briquettes, 
refining of petroleum products). 
• Electricity generation in public supply conventional thermal power plants, 
including combined heat and power plants. Enterprises that produce electricity 
exclusively for their own use are not included. Activities related to the 
functioning of nuclear power stations are specifically excluded. 
Waste is defined as any substance or object that the holder discards or intends to 
discard. It is, therefore, perceived to have no commercial value to the producer. This 
does not preclude its being of value to some other party. 

---

120 
Solid waste from the energy sector is limited to waste that results directly from the 
normal functioning of that sector. Included are waste from coal and lignite mining and 
upgrading (tails); waste from oil and gas extraction and from refineries; combustion 
waste from thermal power stations (bottom ash, flying ash, slug); waste from the 
incineration of industrial and municipal waste, when these are used as a fuel in power 
stations; and waste from air pollution abatement technologies (sludge from scrubbers, 
spent catalysts). Non-regular waste such as decommissioned oil/gas rigs, power 
stations, refineries and other machinery should be reported separately, as these are 
exceptional events requiring special disposal measures. For the purpose of this 
indicator, radioactive waste and (scrapped) road vehicles, railway wagons and sea-
going vessels
3
belonging to the energy industry are excluded. 
‘Properly disposed of’ refers to 
• Recycling or reuse of waste; 
• Incineration in incinerators fitted with appropriate filters, etc., to remove 
noxious emissions; 
• Solidification, so as to prevent landslide; and 
• Disposal in secured and lined landfill sites and other sites where measures are 
in place to avoid runoff and uncontrolled combustion.