Implementation of the Landfill Directive RTP 25771, Łódź (Poland), Christof Delatter Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (Vereniging van Vlaamse Steden en Gemeenten – VVSG) Tel

This Presentation Lessons learned from Europe Landfilling in Flanders Diverting biological waste from landfills Dealing with the past

Lessons learned from Europe (1) November 2005: interesting survey by SLR Consulting: Delivering Key Waste Management Infrastructure: Lessons Learned from Europe –Examination of the different approaches used to facilitate the development of waste management infrastructure in ten selected EU Member States: Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France, Spain, Austria, Italy

Lessons learned from Europe (2) The Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria: –Have met targets of diversion of biodegradable waste –Strong waste management infrastructure (incineration or MBT) Ireland, the UK, France, Spain, Italy: still strong reliance on landfilling Both groups of countries have specific characteristics !

Lessons learned from Europe (3) “good results countries” have: –Regime of certainty: strong planning, landfill bans, strict regulation, municipal (co-)ownership reducing financial risks; –Partnership between government levels: transparant responsibilities, thorough consultation, local implementation; –Public trust: separate local waste taxes (transparency), strict adherence to EU requirements; –Integrated approach across waste streams: integration of household and industrial waste leads to cost reductions.

Lessons learned from Europe (4) “bad results countries” have: –Lack of certainty which creates difficulties in securing key waste management infrastructure; –Poor strategic planning capability with little cooperation between tiers of government; –Weak local accountability and ownership of waste related issues so that issues are repeatedly deferred; –Politically inconsistent messages and fiscal incentives which contradict the promotion of the waste hierarchy.

Lessons learned from Europe (5) To create waste management infrastructure you need stability through: –Strong planning –Local involvement and implementation –Clear responsibilities and cooperation between government levels –Juridical and financial instruments –Transparency and clear communication to the public

History of landfilling in Flanders (1) 1950’s: almost every municipality had its own dumpsite (hardly any legislation) 1965: establishment of first intermunicipal cooperations Specific situation for Flanders: –Population: just over 6 million; population density: ± 440 inh./km² –Intense pressures from human activities: densely populated, dense transportation network, industry, intensive cattle breeding (millions of porcs, chickens, cows) and crop cultivation –High quantities of waste ↔ pressure on land use 1975: building of first waste incinerators

History of landfilling in Flanders (2) Waste incinerators Operational compliant landfills cat. 2 Closed landfills

History of landfilling in Flanders (3)

History of landfilling in Flanders (4) Number of landfills: Year Cat.1115 Cat Cat

History of landfilling in Flanders (5) Shift of legal responsibility in delivering of permits over the years –Seventies: permitting system based on safety and health regulations: controlled by Health Inspection –1981: permitting system based on waste legislation: controlled by Waste administration –1995: permitting system based on IPPC: controlled by Environmental Inspection Agency → loss of information about old closed landfill sites!

Diverting biological waste from landfills (1) 50 % of household waste = food/kitchen & garden waste ! Options: –Prevention of organic waste –Separate collection for composting –More incineration of waste –Pretreatment before landfilling (MBT)

Diverting biological waste from landfills (2) Flemish mix of instruments to reduce BMW and to divert it from landfill –Taxes on landfilling and incineration –Ban on landfilling of certain separately collected waste streams and combustible waste –Ban on incineration of certain separately collected waste streams –Biological Waste Management Plan: prevention, home composting and separate collection for composting of organic waste

Diverting biological waste from landfills (3) Taxes on landfilling and incineration Year2002 (euro/tonne) 2007 (euro/tonne) Illegal landfilling117,21150 Landfilling combustible waste 58,6175 Incineration household waste 6,457

Diverting biological waste from landfills (4) Prevention of organic waste Compostbins and boxes Wormery

Diverting biological waste from landfills (5) Prevention of organic waste: “chicken projects” –Municipality distributes free chickens (3/family) works out trade discount system with local pet shops –Often request to register the amounts of organic waste fed to the chickens –Also in schools, institutions, retirement homes: strong social and educational impact –Strict rules to follow ! (animal by-products, animal welfare…)

Diverting biological waste from landfills (6) Prevention of organic waste: “waste-free garden” –Mostly communication and demonstration of good practices –Concept of a garden in which all the organic waste from the garden can be processed in the garden itself use of indigenous plants who produce less waste alternative management: e.g. hayfields Prevention of organic waste: masters in composting –Volunteers, supported by municipality or intermunicipal organization –Convince other citizens –Demonstration of techniques for home-composting

Diverting biological waste from landfills (7) Citizen paying the municipalities for waste collection: –In the past: all costs financed from either the general budget of from a fixed waste tax –now combined with “Pay As You Throw” Chipped bins Obligatory household waste bags –Home composting bins are distributed for free or at very low cost –Financial incentive for prevention and separate collection of organic waste!

Diverting biological waste from landfills (8) Separate collection of organic waste in Flanders: –Flanders divided in two types of municipalities: “green” and “kitchen-waste”-regions –“green”: Intensive campaigns for home composting Collection of garden waste on civic amenity sites Some well planned doorstep collections of garden waste –“kitchen-waste”-regions Also promotion of home composting Doorstep collection (at least every two weeks) of all organic waste Combined with acceptance of garden waste on civic amenity sites

Diverting biological waste from landfills (9) Kitchen waste: –Aerobic composting: compost –Anaerobic digestion: compost and renewable energy –Future: more combination of technologies? Garden waste: –Windrow composting into high quality compost –Both woody and fine fraction is needed for composting –Recently: woody fraction is ‘interesting’ for energy production

Dealing with the past Illegal dumpsites... Legal landfills where after-care period has passed → Soil remediation decree: –Municipal inventory of sites with risk of pollution –Transfer of these sites requires examination of soil quality –Can lead to soil remediating project

You are welcome !!! In Flanders –Visit plants, projects,… –Share data on policy and on practical implementation methods –Long-term relationship and help in setting up a local or intermunicipal waste management policy Contact: Christof Delatter –