Commission welcomes EP vote on revision of waste directive
The European Commission welcomes the European Parliament's second reading vote on 17.06.2008 approving the agreement reached with the Council on the revision of the waste framework directive, the central pillar of EU waste management policy. The revised directive takes into account many of the changes proposed by the European Parliament. In summary, the directive:
• Sets new recycling targets to be achieved by the Member States by 2020, including recycling rates of 50% for household and similar wastes and 70% for construction and demolition waste;Strengthens provisions on waste prevention through an obligation for Member States to develop national waste prevention programmes and a commitment from the Commission to report on prevention and set waste prevention objectives;
• Sets a clear, five-step "hierarchy" of waste management options according to which prevention is the preferred option, followed by reuse, recycling, other forms of recovery and with safe disposal as the last recourse.
• Clarifies a number of important definitions, such as recycling, recovery and waste itself. In particular, it draws a line between waste and by-products and defines when waste has been recovered enough – through recycling or other treatment - to cease being waste.
The new directive will also streamline EU waste legislation by replacing three existing directives: the existing Waste Framework Directive, the Hazardous Waste Directive and the Waste Oils Directive.
Internet:
Press release: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/950&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
EU waste policy: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/index.htm
Internet: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/0...
Posted on: 18.06.2008