EU Policy and Legislation

Policy

The European Commission initially set out its Community-wide waste policy in the Community Strategy for Waste Management of 1989 (SEC(89) 934 Final 1989). This document forms the cornerstone of European waste policy. As well as many detailed measures, the strategy contains the following points:

• The establishment of a hierarchy of waste management. This prioritises the prevention of waste then its reuse and recycling and lastly the optimisation of its final disposal through, for example, energy recovery.
• Confirmation of the 'Proximity Principle'. This requires that waste is dealt with as near as possible to its source.
• The goal of waste disposal self-sufficiency at every level is emphasised.
• Subsequent to the Treaty on European Union entering into force in 1993 (establishing the European Union), a revised version of the strategy was adopted by the Commission in July 1996.

The 1996 strategy has added the following points:

• Energy recovery may in some cases be environmentally superior to recycling within the hierarchy.
• The EU will investigate possible actions on incineration and the implications of using waste as a fuel at installations not originally designed for this.
• The Commission will introduce targets to substantially reduce the amount of waste generated and to generally achieve high waste recovery objectives.
• The principle of Producer Responsibility (where waste producers are actively involved in the waste management of their products) will be incorporated in all future measures.
• The Commission will come forward with proposals to control landfill

Suggestions are given for guidelines on use of economic instruments for waste management including the harmonisation of waste statistics and a common methodology for Life Cycle Analysis (a way of discovering the impacts a product has during all stages of its production, use and disposal).

Legislation

When EU policy is agreed, legislation is brought forward to implement the policy. Directives 75/442/EEC (as revised by Directive 91/156/EEC) and 91/689/EEC provide the overall structure for an effective waste management regime within the EU. Directive 75/442/EEC is often referred to as the Framework Directive on Waste, as it includes references to more detailed 'daughter' directives that either:

1. Set requirements for the permitting and operations of waste disposal facilities;
2. Deal with disposal options for specific types of waste, or
3. Control the movement of waste within, into and out of the EU.

Although the Framework Directive on Waste was extensively revised through the 1991 amendment, the following five general duties on Member States still apply:

• Encourage the prevention and reduction of waste and reduce its potential for harm through cleaner technologies, new disposal techniques and new, more environmentally benign products.
• Encourage waste recovery such as recycling, reuse, reclamation and energy recovery.
• Ensure the above without endangering human health or harming any other part of the environment.
• Ensure an integrated and adequate network of waste installations using the 'Best Available Technology.'

Other Points

• It defines a number of widely used terms such as waste ('Any substance or object... which the holder discards, or intends, or is required to discard'), management, collection, producer, disposal and recovery.
• Members must introduce 'Competent Authorities' to issue waste permits, produce Waste Management Plans, and inspect waste installations.
• Installations must record waste transactions for collection by the Competent Authority for submission as implementation reports to the Commission.
• The Commission will produce a European Waste Catalogue to classify and list wastes to aid comparisons.

Subsequent amendments:

• Directive 75/442/EEC amended by 91/156/EEC (March 1991), 91/692/EEC (December 1991) and 96/350/EEC (September 1996)
• Directive 91/689/EEC amended by 94/31/EEC (July 1994)

Framework Directive

Directive 75/442/EEC

View Amendments

Council Directive 91/156/EEC
Council Directive 91/692/EEC
Commission Decision 96/350/EC

Hazardous Waste Directive

Directive 91/689/EEC
Summary
Complete Directive

Other Directives and Regulations

The following Directives are also relevant to Waste Management in Ireland, organised according to subject:

The Disposal of Waste Oils

Directive 75/439/EEC
Summary
Complete Directive

Batteries and Accumulators

Directive 91/157/EEC
Summary
Complete Directive

Packaging and Packaging Waste

Directive 94/62/EC
Summary
Complete Directive

The Landfill of Waste

Directive 99/31/EC
Summary
Complete Directive

The Incineration of Waste

Directive 2000/76/EC
Summary
Complete Directive

End of Life Vehicles (ELVs)

Directive 2000/53/EC
Summary
Complete Directive

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS)

Directives 2002/96/EC and 2002/95/EC
Summary
Complete WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC
Complete RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC

Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC)

Directive 96/61/EC
Summary
Complete Directive

Disposal of PCBs and PCTs

Directive 96/59/EC
Summary
Complete Directive

The Prevention of Air Pollution from New Municipal Waste-Incineration Plants

Directive 89/369/EEC
Summary
Complete Directive

The Reduction of Pollution from Existing Waste-Incineration Plants

Directive 89/429/EEC
Summary
Complete Directive

Regulations

Waste Statistics

Regulation (EC) No 2150/2002
Summary
Complete Directive

Supervision and Control of Shipment of Waste Within, Into and Out of the European Community

Council Regulation (EEC) No 259/93
Summary
Complete Directive