News

The Landfill Directive 1999/31/EC - A Summary

The Landfill Directive 1999/31/EC aims to ensure high standards for the disposal of waste in the European Union and to stimulate waste prevention via composting and biogasification of biodegradable waste as well as recycling .The directive includes provisions to reduce the landfilling of biodegradable waste in order to avoid the environmental damage caused by releases of breakdown products ( landfill gas , including methane , and leachate ).

Article 5(1) of the directive includes targets for the diversion of biodegradable wastes from landfill , requiring the promotion of waste sorting , material recycling and energy recovery . Several Member State have already introduced limits for the biodegradable waste that is permitted to go to landfill .

For those Member States which have not introduced such guidelines , achieving the targets in the directive will present a challenge to local authorities and the waste management industry . Alternative waste-management routes must be developed for biodegradable wastes which realise environmental benefits in a cost-effective manner . The most practicable of these is composting , both centralised and by the householder .

Back