July 16 marked the deadline for sub-standard landfills in the European Union to comply with EU rules, the European Commission said in a press release. Member States have had eight years to ensure sites that existed before European legislation on landfills became applicable were brought into line or closed down altogether. Sub-standard landfills are a hazard to public health and the environment. From July 16 Member States are also required to reduce the amounts of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfills by half of 1995 levels.

From 16 July 2009, all EU Member States that have not been granted extensions must ensure that sub-standard landfills that existed before the introduction of the Landfill Directive now comply with its requirements.

The Directive aims to prevent or reduce the adverse effects of the landfill of waste on the environment, in particular on surface water, groundwater, soil, air and human health, and sets strict guidelines for the management of sites.

Bulgaria, Poland and Romania have been given extended deadlines with annual decreasing targets for the amount of waste disposed of in some non-compliant sites. The deadlines are: Bulgaria (14 landfill sites) 31 December 2014; Poland (305 landfill sites) 31 December 2011; Romania (101 landfill sites) 16 July 2017.

From July 16, Member States must also reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste that is landfilled by 50% compared to 1995 levels. This means diverting it to other more environmentally friendly forms of waste management such as composting, or incineration with energy recovery.

A number of Member States which relied heavily on landfilling in 1995 (for more than 80% of municipal waste) were given a four-year extension period, known as a derogation. They must achieve a 25% reduction by 2010, and then meet the 50% target by 2013. The Member States concerned are: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the UK, says the press release.

In Bulgaria at the moment 30 regional landfills comply with EU standards, the Environment and Waters Ministry said in a press release on Thursday. Many municipalities are already transporting their waste to their respective landfill.

Sixty low-risk municipal landfills will continue to operate temporarily after July 16, until larger regional landfills are finished. These will be monitored closely. Some will have to be equipped with facilities for the treatment of waste.

The Environment Ministry will be making sure that waste is deposited only after being treated first. A EU Directive requires that waste subject to recycling and composting be separated first.

Waste from the 55 municipal landfills, which are not up to environmental standards and which have to be closed after July 16, will be redirected to operating municipal sites or regional landfills. A list of the remaining municipal landfills and those that are due for closure will be posted on the Ministry's website.

Still, 76 municipalities have not halted their landfills and have been issued with orders by the respective regional environmental offices to close their landfills and to redirect waste to their regional landfill.

The 23 regional landfills, which are yet to be finished, should first be equipped with facilities for the primary treatment of waste. The Environment Ministry says that funding for these has been provided under the Operational Programme (OP) "Environment". The OP also provides funds for the closure and recultivation of municipal landfills. Local authorities may submit their projects for financing.

According to experts of the Environment Ministry, the commitments Bulgaria has made to the EU regarding waste management, will be met in 2009 and 2010.

The national plan for waste treatment has been cleared with experts of the European Commission and with municipalities. Experts say that if the plan is followed through, there will be no sanctions for Bulgaria.

Speaking to journalists after unveiling a kindergarten in a Sofia area, prime minister-designate Boiko Borissov said that he had talks with the ambassadors of EU Member States here to seek ways to delay sanctions for unseparated waste depositing.

Borissov said that he did not want people to suffer for the mistakes of the previous government.

Source: BTA