Europese Commissie controleert naleving regulering stortplaatsen (en)
IP/09/1154
Brussels, 16 July 2009
Waste: Commission calls time on sub-standard landfills in the EU
Today marks the deadline for sub-standard landfills in the European Union to comply with EU rules. Member States have had eight years to ensure sites that existed before European legislation on landfills became applicable were brought into line or closed down altogether. The Commission has written to all Member States to remind them of their obligation and to gather data on compliance. Those found to be in breach of the legislation may face legal action. Sub-standard landfills are a hazard to public health and the environment. They have the potential to create air emissions and odours, pollute soil and water, and contaminate the groundwater. From today, Member States are also required to reduce the amounts of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfills by half of 1995 levels.
European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said: " Mismanaged and uncontrolled landfills are a hazard to human health and the environment. As of today these should be a thing of the past. Member States have had eight years to ensure their landfills meet EU standards. It is their duty to guarantee the highest levels of protection to citizens and the environment."
Deadline for sub-standard landfills to comply with EU rules
From 16 July 2009, all EU Member States that have not been granted extensions must ensure that sub-standard l andfills that existed before the introduction of the Landfill Directive 1 now comply with its requirements.
The Directive aims to prevent or reduce the adverse effects of the landfill of waste on the environment, in particular on surface water, groundwater, soil, air and human health, and sets strict guidelines for the management of sites.
Bulgaria, Poland and Romania have been given extended deadlines with annual decreasing targets for the amount of waste disposed of in some non-compliant sites. The deadlines are: Bulgaria (14 landfill sites) 31 December 2014; Poland (305 landfill sites) 31 December 2011; Romania (101 landfill sites) 16 July 2017.
The most recent statistics gathered in 2008 concern the 12 new Member States, and revealed the existence of some 1600 sub-standard landfills. A clearer picture of the situation in all Member States should emerge towards the end of the year, once complete data is received. The Commission is now monitoring compliance across the EU. If national sites continue to operate without meeting European standards, the Commission will consider legal action against the Member States involved.
In the recent past the Commission has brought legal action against Spain, France, Italy, Ireland and Greece. The European Court of Justice found they had failed to fulfil their waste disposal obligations. The Commission is closely monitoring their progress in stepping up efforts to implement EU environmental legislation.
The need for properly managed and controlled landfills
Landfill sites that are not properly managed can pose serious risks to public health and the environment .
Landfills are sources of leachate and methane gas. Leachate – the liquid that drains from a landfill site – can contaminate groundwater, rendering it unfit for human consumption. Biodegradable waste, which includes garden, kitchen and food waste, can produce methane, a powerful greenhouse gas which is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide, and a major contributor to climate change. Landfill gas is responsible for over 2% of EU greenhouse gas emissions. The Landfill Directive sets stringent requirements for leachate and landfill gas emissions.
Reduction targets for landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste
From today, Member States must also reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste that is landfilled by 50% compared to 1995 levels. This means diverting it to other more environmentally friendly forms of waste management such as composting, or incineration with energy recovery. The Commission has requested information from Member States to monitor compliance with this target. The next milestone will be in 2016, when the reduction target is increased to 65% of 1995 levels.
Biodegradable waste accounts for about 40% of municipal waste across Europe. Landfill is still the most common method of disposing of municipal waste in the enlarged European Union. The potential negative impact on the environment of this method of disposal is well established. In December 2008, the Commission launched a Green Paper (see IP/08/1879 ) to consider the need for new legislation which could help divert more bio-waste away from landfill towards recycling and energy recovery.
A number of Member States which relied heavily on landfilling in 1995 ( for more than 80% of municipal waste) were given a four-year extension period, known as a derogation. They must achieve a 25% reduction by 2010, and then meet the 50% target by 2013. The Member States concerned are: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the UK.
Further details:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/landfill_index.htm
Council Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste