Suggesting how the UK should move forward, the ESA has released a report (Fact or Fiction: Implementation of Council Directive 1999/31/EC on the Landfill of Waste) analysing the directive’s implementation timetable.
ESA chief executive Dirk Hazell commented: “Although the transposition date has now passed, ESA still awaits the consultation on the draft regulations to implement the Landfill Directive in the UK. With other important EU legislation on producer responsibility in prospect, the UK must be better prepared to transpose future legislation.”
But, a spokeswoman for the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that work was underway on the regulations to implement the directive and that it was hoped to publish these next month. And she pointed out that the date for full implementation of the directive is not for several years.
Single date
The ESA paper explains that while the association backs a phased approach for dealing with pollution prevention and control permit applications for existing landfill sites, it fears that unless a single date is agreed for implementation waste will be moved around the country. This could be to sites which are not fully up to directive standards and so could be cheaper to dispose at.
The association says: “It is essential that there is one single operative date for all new permits for existing sites. Failure to do this, by starting permits at different dates, will cause significant distortions to the market promoting waste tourism and stifling investment in the required next generation facilities. To avoid unnecessary market distortion ESA proposes a single operative date for new permits.”
The DEFRA spokeswoman noted: “Details about dates will be contained in the consultation paper. And, already decisions on all new sites will be made by the Environment Agency and using their existing powers they will take on board the requirements of the Landfill Directives.”
Dr Stuart McLanaghan, head of policy at the ESA, commented that the government needs to recognise that the waste management industry “is willing and able to deliver the challenges of the directive.” He added that the industry was actually outflanking government on green policy.
“For example, we are pushing for standards beyond the directive. There has been no recognition from government of the issue of final storage quality (FSQ) which relates to the end-of co disposal. We would like to see next-generation treatment and processing.”
(Codisposal refers to the end of the practice of landfilling hazardous with inert wastes at the same area of landfill. Next generation approaches include hazardous wastes being vitrified, solidified and passed through a high temperature incinerator as well as other options.)
Final storage quality
And, the ESA says that to achieve FSQ for hazardous waste prior to landfilling, this will require as essential prerequisites:
- a realistic timetable by which codisposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste is to cease;
- early agreement on waste acceptance criteria;
- and guidance on pre-treatment
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