020 7001 6000Adopted in 1999, the EU Landfill Directive was transposed into English law through the Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations 2002. Wastes and Landfill Sites are classified as being inert, hazardous or non-hazardous and any wastes destined for landfill can be sent to the appropriate landfill site only.
Various materials are now banned from landfill including all liquid wastes, corrosive, explosive or flammable waste, hospital and clinical infectious waste, whole used tyres (since 2003) and shredded tyres (from 2006). Wastes and Landfill Sites are classified as being inert, hazardous or non-hazardous and any wastes destined for landfill can be sent to the appropriate landfill site only.
Since 30th October 2007, the Regulations also requires the pre-treatment (including sorting) of wastes going to landfill to encourage recovery and recycling.
The Directive's overall aim was "to prevent or reduce as far as possible negative effects on the environment, in particular the pollution of surface water, groundwater, soil and air, and on the global environment, including the greenhouse effect, as well as any resulting risk to human health, from the landfilling of waste, during the whole lifecycle of the landfill".
Futher requirements of the Landfill Directive are to:
- Reduce biodegradable waste landfilled to 75% of 1995 figures by 2010
- 50% of 1995 levels by 2013
- 35% of 1995 levels by 2020
For full details of the Landfill Regulations, visit DEFRA at www.defra.gov.uk or the Environment Agency at www.environment-agency.gov.uk.
