This is the report of a study which set out to determine whether priorities in Western Europe with respect to energy and materials recovery from municipal solid waste are the same as those in the United States, which include (a) the use of refuse as a supplementary fuel, (b) pyrolysis, and (c) resource recovery. The study also attempted to identify solid waste/energy processes in Europe (both existing and under development) that appear to offer potential advantages over processes currently employed in the United States. Recovery activities in Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain. Sweden, Switzerland, and West Germany are reported. For each country, a national overview is given, followed (where appropriate) by a description of particularly significant developments. Systems involving household sorting and separate collection, front-end materials/fuel separation, the burning of refuse-derived fuel in electricity generating plants and cement kilns, pyrolysis, incineration with heat recovery, and materials recovery from post-incinerator residues are discussed in the report. A summary of key findings is also included. The report contains the names and addresses of all persons contacted in the study.

"EPA-600/7-77-040." "Order no. 5-03-4502-A." "PB-270 219." Includes bibliographical references (pages 43-44).