The paper published yesterday outlines what Ross Finnie, minister of Environment and Rural Development at the Scottish Executive says will focus around “human health and the environment for those operating landfill sites”. Proposed measures will also ensure that farm dumps do not cause environmental damage.
In summary, the paper proposes a ban on the disposal of corrosive and liquid waste going to landfill; the classification of landfills to ensure appropriate management of sites that accept hazardous wastes and a requirement that landfill operators prepare site conditioning plans for their sites.
The paper also proposes further developments in the regulation of agricultural waste. As a first step, farmers who dispose of waste such as packaging waste or redundant equipment on their own land will be brought within the regulatory structure of landfills. The Executive said it will be working with SEPA – the regulatory environmental body in Scotland, to asses how this regulatory burden can be lessened for farmers.
Commenting on the consultation paper, Mr Finnie said: “It is a key part of the Executive’s National Waste Strategy that we reduce the volume of waste that goes to landfill. Sustainable waste management demands both that we reduce the volumes of waste that goes to landfill and that we manage the disposal of waste safely.”
In June 2002, the Executive issued the Landfill (Scotland) Direction 2002 to require SEPA to give effect to the main measures of the Landfill Directive. SEPA is working with existing landfill operators to implement these measures.
The closing date for the consultation period of November 22 2002.
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