2.4 The EU Landfill Directive

The EU Landfill Directive is one of the key drivers behind the National Waste Strategy: Scotland. The Directive imposes environmental and engineering standards for landfills across Europe and will ban the landfilling of many substances that are disposed of in this way at present. The Directive also requires a progressive reduction in the landfilling of Biodegradable Municipal Waste (BMW) and the pre-treatment of wastes before landfilling, to both reduce waste volume and minimise the environmental impact of disposal. This will assist in the reduction of landfill gases, such as methane, which are significant contributors to global warming.

2.4.1 Diversion of Biodegradable Municipal Solid Waste (BMW)

The Directive establishes national targets and timescales for the diversion of BMW from landfill. Where member states are particularly dependent on landfill they will be allowed to defer the implementation of the target dates by up to 4 years. The UK will take advantage of this derogation. The UK has to report to the European Commission by July 2003 giving details of how the targets will be met and a decision on whether to extend the target dates will be taken then.

From a baseline of 1995, the amount of BMW allowed to landfill will be:

• 75% of 1995 levels by 2006, or by 2010 assuming derogation
  

• 50% of 1995 levels by 2010, or by 2013 assuming derogation
  

• 35% of 1995 levels by 2016, or by 2030 assuming derogation.

Using baseline figures for municipal solid waste (MSW) arisings in the Western Isles in 1998, and assuming a MSW growth rate of 0.5% per annum across the area, Table 2.1 shows the tonnages of BMW requiring diversion from landfill by each of the target years (assuming the derogation is used). The calculations assume total BMW is equivalent to 60% of total MSW.

Figure 2.1 - Key Drivers, Partner Organisations and Mechanisms

Table 2.1 - EU Landfill Directive Diversion Requirements (tonnes per annum)

(1) Estimated by splitting 2.8 million tonnes for Scotland proportionally amongst the Local Authorities using Waste Arisings 1998 as to allocate each authorities proportion. Scottish Executive still to advise on method of calculation, which could significantly alter amount of waste to be diverted.

It should be noted that the figures in Table 2.1 are estimates – the exact tonnages will depend on a number of variables such as actual future waste growth and actual MSW composition in the Isles. It will be necessary to review and amend these figures (and any associated AWP targets) should reliable local data become available in the future. The challenge posed by the Directive is to develop sufficient capacity to divert the tonnages indicated in the bottom row of Table 2.1. These targets are minimum requirements and have been used as the basis for developing the Western Isles Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) targets described in Section 3. Efforts will be made to achieve these targets earlier than the required dates.

2.4.2 Landfill Permits

A key mechanism in controlling the amount of BMW each local authority will be allowed to landfill in future will be a system of Landfill Permits. The Scottish Executive will decide if local authorities will be able to trade their allowances, although it will be the responsibility of each local authority in the Waste Strategy Area Group to determine how to use the permits allocated to them. This would allow Local Authorities in areas where the additional costs of BMW diversion from landfill are disproportionately high or where landfilling is the agreed BPEO to ‘buy permits’ from other Local Authorities which are exceeding their individual BMW landfill diversion target. The overall allocation of allowances will be set to reduce the amount of BMW sent to landfill. Until the working detail of the ‘tradable permit system’ is known and the 1995 baseline figures allocated to each local authority, the impact on Western Isles cannot be determined. The Western Isles BPEO is, however, in any case, intended to deliver area compliance with the Directive’s requirements (i.e. self-sufficiency).

2.4.3 Other Technical Requirements

The Landfill Directive also has a number of other requirements, which will have an impact on the ability of landfill sites to accept certain waste types. This will have a knock-on effect on the cost of landfill and could potentially shorten the life of some sites. Until a full assessment of the Western Isles landfill sites against the Landfill Directive criteria has been made, the full impact of the Directive will not be fully understood. The main requirements of the Directive are as follows:

• Classification of sites to certain standards or acceptance of certain waste types.
  

• Specific wastes banned from landfill, including liquids and tyres.
  

• Increased technical and engineering standards.
  

• Waste requires to be treated prior to acceptance into landfill in order to reduce its volume or hazardous nature, facilitate its handling or enhance recovery.