Incineration of waste

PURPOSE : to prevent or limit as far as practicable negative effects on the environment, in particular pollution by emissions into air, soil, surface water and groundwater, and the resulting risks to human health, from the incineration and co-incineration of waste. COMMUNITY MEASURE : Directive 2000/76/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council. CONTENT : the aim of this Directive shall be met by means of stringent operational conditions and technical requirements , through setting emission limit values for waste incineration and co-incineration plants within the Community. In addition, the monitoring of waste water shall permit, for the first time, the reduction of pollution in marine ecosystems and soft water caused by incineration. The reductions shall concern in particular acid gases, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), heavy metals and dioxins. Cadmium emissions in the European Union should decrease from 16 tonnes per year in 1995 to 1.1 tonnes in 2005, and for mercury from 36 tonnes per year in 1995 to 7.1 tonnes in 2002. The following plants shall however be excluded from the scope of this Directive, these include plants treating : vegetable waste from agriculture and forestry; vegetable waste from virgin pulp prodcution and from production of paper from pulp; wood waste; cork waste; radioactive waste; animal carcasses; waste resulting from the exploration for, and the exploitation of, oil and gas resources from off-shore installations and incinerated on board the installation. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 28/12/2000. DEADLINE SET FOR TRANSPOSITION : 28/12/2002.�