The European Parliament adopted by 583 votes to 95, with 18 abstentions, amendments to the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste.
The matter was referred back to the committee responsible for interinstitutional negotiations. The vote on the legislative resolution was postponed to later session.
The main amendments adopted in plenary concerned the following issues:
Progressive phasing out of landfilling: Members stressed that the revision of the Directive on the landfill of waste will offer the possibility for waste management to be transformed into sustainable material management. They also proposed to include in the general objective of the Directive a progressive phasing out (as opposed to a reduction) of landfilling which is considered as a fundamental condition to support the Union's transition towards a circular economy.
This objective shall fit into an integrated policy which ensures a sound application of the waste hierarchy, enhances a shift towards prevention, reuse and recycling, and prevents a shift from landfilling towards incineration.
More ambitious goal in 2030: Parliament proposed that Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that by 2030 the annual amount of municipal waste landfilled is reduced to 5 % (instead of 10 %) of the total amount of municipal waste generated.
By 31 December 2030, Member States shall accept only residual municipal waste (waste resulting from a treatment or a recovery operation, including recycling, which cannot be recovered further) in landfills for non-hazardous waste.
Additional transition period: the Commission proposed that seven countries (Estonia, Greece, Croatia, Latvia, Malta, Romania and Slovakia) may obtain five additional years for the attainment of the target. Parliament suggested that a Member State may request an extension to attain the target, if it has landfilled more than 65 % of its municipal waste in 2013. The request for extension shall be accompanied by an implementation plan which shall be assessed the Commission on the basis of specific criteria.
Waste other than municipal waste: Parliament called on the Commission to:
- examine, by 31 December 2018 at the latest, the possibility to introduce a target and restrictions to the landfilling of non-hazardous waste other than municipal waste. To this end, its report shall be accompanied by a legislative proposal, if appropriate;
- further examine the feasibility of proposing a regulatory framework for enhanced landfill mining so as to permit the retrieval of secondary raw materials that are present in existing landfills. By 31 December 2025 Member States shall map existing landfills and indicate their potential for enhanced landfill mining and share information.
Exchange of best practices and information: Parliament suggested establishing a platform for a regular and structured exchange of best practices and information between the Commission and the Member States on the practical implementation of the requirements of this Directive.
Instruments to promote a shift to a circular economy: Member States shall make use of adequate economic instruments and shall take other measures to provide incentives for the application of the waste hierarchy.
Uniform technical provisions: lastly, Parliament proposed a very precise wording in order to allow the Commission to develop and adopt implementing acts as regards: (i) the determination of the permeability coefficient of landfills and for the sampling of waste; (ii) the development of a European standard for the sampling of waste.