Current legislative developments

Agriculture, Mining and Quarrying Wastes
Agricultural, mining and quarrying waste will be incorporated into current waste management controls under proposed new measures to bring England and Wales into line with the requirements of the European Waste Framework Directive and the Landfill Directive.

This means that farmers will no longer be able to dispose of an estimated 400,000 tonnes per annum of waste in ‘farm dumps’ without a landfill permit and the open burning of landfill waste will not be allowed. The DEFRA consultation period runs until 18 March 2005.

Batteries
The European Commission is currently drafting proposals to replace the 1991 Batteries Directive. Collection targets of 75% and recycling targets of 55% are being proposed for portable batteries in general.

Cleaner Neighbourhoods
The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill, which is currently going through Parliament, plays a key role in the Government’s plan to create cleaner, safer, greener communities. It contains a package of measures to give local authorities and the Environment Agency more powers to deal with fly-tippers, litter droppers, fly posting, abandoned vehicles and other nuisances.

End of Life Vehicles
These regulations came into effect in 2003. They aim to prevent waste from end of life vehicles and promote the collection, reuse and recycling of their components. From xxx this year until 2007, the final car owner will be responsible for the £70 cost required to ‘depollute’ ELV vehicles. From 2007 producers will have to bear all the costs associated with ELVs.

Hazardous Waste
The new Hazardous Waste Regulations will be implemented in July 2005, bringing a number of new wastes into what should be managed as ‘hazardous wastes’. It is estimated the change will increase the number of hazardous waste producing businesses from 100,000 to 1.3 million. Businesses producing hazardous waste will have to register with the Environment Agency. The form taken by the regulations is designed to reduce administration and facilitate enforcement.

Landfill
The requirements of the Landfill Regulations have been progressively introduced since 2002 and are due to take full effect by October 2007. Landfills will be classified according to whether they can accept hazardous, non-hazardous or inert wastes. Wastes can only be accepted at a particular landfill if they meet the relevant waste acceptance criteria (WAC) for that class of landfill, as laid down by the European Council. Full WAC takes effect from July 2005.

Packaging
The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations and The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations implement the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. Recent targets agreed by the European Union, to be met by 31 December 2008, set an overall recovery target of 60% and a recycling target of between 55% and 80%. Specific recycling targets for particular materials are: 60% for glass, 60% for paper, 50% for metals, 22.5% for plastics and 15% for wood.

Tyres
The EU Landfill Directive introduced a ban on landfilling whole tyres in July 2003. From July 2006 the landfilling of shredded tyres will be banned.

As a consequence of this ban and the lack of an alternative technology to dispose of large quantities of used tyres there are millions stockpiled around the country, some in illegal dumps.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

For more information on hazardous waste regulations click here.

For more background on legislation click here