Waste Framework Directive

The Commission presents a report on the implementation of EU waste legislation, including the early warning report for Member States at risk of missing the 2020 preparation for re-use/recycling target on municipal waste. The report reviews the implementation of key elements of this legislation by the Member States, identifies challenges that prevent full compliance and provides recommendations for how to improve the management of certain waste streams.

The report is based on information provided in national implementation reports for the 2013- 2015 period on:

• Directive 2008/98/EC (Waste Framework Directive);
• Directive 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE);
• Directive 94/62/EC (Packaging Directive);
• Directive 1999/31/EC (Landfill Directive);
• Directive 86/278/EEC (Sewage Sludge Directive).

Municipal waste – early warning reports

In 2016, Europeans generated on average 480 kg of municipal waste per person, 46 % of which was recycled or composted, while a quarter was landfilled. Municipal waste represents only around 10 % of the total waste generated in the EU, but it is one of the most complex streams to manage due to its diverse composition, its large amount of producers and fragmentation of responsibilities. Legal obligations on the management of municipal waste (waste from households and similar waste) are laid down in the Waste Framework Directive. These include a 50 % municipal waste preparing for re-use/recycling target to be achieved by 2020.

The revised Waste Framework Directive includes new and more ambitious targets: 55 % municipal waste preparing for re-use/recycling target to be achieved by 2025, 60 % by 2030 and 65 % by 2035. It also introduces a system of early warning reports to assess Member States’ progress towards these targets three years ahead of the respective deadlines, 14 Member States have been identified as at risk of missing the 2020 target of 50%. These are: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain. Country-specific actions to close the gap have been identified, as well as common priorities, including:

• cascade national recycling targets down to the municipal level with responsibility for waste collection systems, and ensure that there are consequences for municipalities that fail to meet targets.
• introduce measures (incl. taxes) to phase out landfilling and provide economic incentives to support the waste hierarchy;
• introduce mandatory requirements to sort bio-waste;
• improve Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes;
• introduce measures to encourage households to sort waste, including higher collection frequency for separated streams as compared with that for mixed waste.

Construction and demolition waste

The Waste Framework Directive sets a 2020 target of 70 % preparation for re-use, recycling and other material recovery for this waste stream. Member States’ performances vary significantly, with over half reporting that they already met the 2020 target in the 2013- 2015 period, and some even achieving over 90% recovery. However, Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia, and Sweden are still below 60 %. There is still some uncertainty regarding the figures reported by some Member States.

The report sets out key actions, including:

• promote waste prevention through smart design, extending the lifetime of constructions, reuse and improving planning and logistics;
• promote selective demolition and sorting at source;
• use economic instruments to divert this waste stream from landfills;
• limit backfilling operations to those that are in line with the definition included in the Waste Framework Directive;
• expand use of green public procurement requiring recycled content.

Hazardous waste

The Waste Framework Directive includes requirements on labelling, record-keeping, traceability and control obligations from production to final destination, as well as a ban on mixing of hazardous waste with other waste, substances or materials.

The analysis of hazardous waste management across the EU, including on PCBs/PCTs, suggests that there are serious gaps in the implementation of key legal obligations. These include inadequate planning, data inconsistencies and statistical gaps between generation and treatment, and misclassification of waste. The report sets out general list of priority actions, including:

• improve the quality of waste management plans, so that hazardous waste is more thoroughly covered;
• adopt reliable and interoperable electronic record-keeping and tracing systems, integrated within national statistics systems and EU waste shipment data;
• reflect the waste hierarchy and the mixing ban in national legislation, guidance on treatment options, and permit conditions;
• set up a comprehensive system of unannounced and coordinated inspections.

The Commission will continue to dedicate significant resources to supporting Member States in their implementation efforts, including through technical assistance and EU funds.