Landfill directive
Traditionally the UK has been heavily reliant on landfill to dispose of its waste.
The waste we produce is growing by about 3% every year, more than the growth in GDP (2-2.5%) and one of the fastest European growth rates for waste.
The landfill directive was adopted by the European Union in 1999, is beginning to drastically change the way the UK handles waste. The directive was brought into force in the UK on 15 June 2002 as the landfill (England and Wales) regulations 2002, and since then it has been gradually introduced to give UK industry time to adapt. The directive brings with it tighter landfill site monitoring and engineering standards.
Landfill directive focuses on reducing the impact of municipal waste. The UK has been set challenging targets:
- reduce biodegradeable municipal waste landfilled to 75% of 1995 level by 2010
- reduce biodegradeable municipal waste landfilled to 50% of 1995 level by 2013
- reduce biodegradeable municipal waste landfilled to 35% of 1995 level by 2020
Additionally, the government's waste strategy for England 2007, sets the following timetable:
recycling and composting of household waste:
- 40% by 2010
- 45% by 2015
- 50% by 2020
recovery of municipal waste:
- 53% by 2010
- 67% by 2015
- 75% by 2020
For waste disposal authorities, the main driver set by the government to reach the Landfill Directive targets is the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS). English waste disposal authorities are limited on the landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste. These limits can be extended by the trading of surplus allowances between authorities.
See www.defra.gov.uk for more information.
