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Recommendation to include reporting obligation for commercial and industrial waste in this revision of the waste directives

We issued a joint recommendation for the monitoring and analysis of the viability of future targets on reuse, recycling and landfilling of commercial and industrial waste, co-signed by local authorities, public service providers, environmental organisations and waste operators

Dear Permanent Representative to the European Council,
Dear Members of the European Parliament,

The signatories to this document put forward a joint recommendation for the inclusion of an amendment to the Waste Framework Directive and Landfill Directive which will require the measurement and monitoring of waste from commercial and industrial sources, in order to ensure that all waste types generated in a Member State are known and treated in accordance with the requirements of European legislation on waste.

Several amendments were tabled in Parliament to this effect, included in annex to this letter, and of those in its Plenary Session on 14 March 2017, the European Parliament adopted the following amendment which we support and propose that the Council also includes in Art. 11.4a of the Waste Framework Directive:

The Commission shall examine the possibility of setting preparing for re-use and recycling targets that apply to commercial waste, non-hazardous industrial waste and other waste streams to be met by 2025 and 2030. To that end, by 31 December 2018, the Commission shall draw up a report, accompanied by a legislative proposal, if appropriate, which shall be sent to the European Parliament and the Council.

In order to be complete, we propose that the Council agrees this modified article in place of the above:

The Commission shall examine the possibility of setting preparing for re-use and recycling targets as well as landfill reduction targets and restrictions that apply to commercial waste, nonhazardous industrial waste and other waste streams to be met by 2025 and 2030. To that end, by 31 December 2018, the Commission shall draw up a report, accompanied by a legislative proposal, if appropriate, which shall be sent to the European Parliament and the Council.

In addition to this, we propose that a requirement is included in Art.37 (Reporting) that commercial and industrial waste holders report the types and volumes of waste they generate and send to recycling, incineration, coincineration or landfill annually, to the national level. This will increase transparency on all waste flows generated thereby improving accessibility of recyclable waste to the recycling industry and enabling the circular economy to be created.

This could be worded as follows:

'All sectors, including municipalities, commercial and industrial entities will report their total annual generation of waste to the national level, also specifying the quantities and waste types sorted for recycling, sent to incineration, co-incineration or landfill. The national authorities will communicate this data to Eurostat on an annual basis.'

In its Plenary Session on 14 March 2017, the European Parliament adopted the following amendment which we support and propose that the Council also includes in Art. 5(7) of the Landfill Directive:

By 31 December 2018 at the latest, the Commission shall examine the possibility to introduce a target and restrictions to the landfilling of non-hazardous waste other than municipal waste. To this end, a report of the Commission accompanied by a legislative proposal, if appropriate, shall be sent to the European Parliament and the Council.

Thanking you for your consideration of these key amendments,

  • Vanya Veras, Secretary General, Municipal Waste Europe

  • Ella Stengler, Secretary General, Confederation of European Waste to Energy Plants

  • Jeremy Wates, Secretary General, European Environmental Bureau

  • Stefanie Siebert, Executive Director, European Compost Network ECN

  • Valeria Ronzitti, Secretary General, European Centre of Employers and Enterprises providing Public Services and
    Services of General Interest

ANNEX


All amendments submitted by MEPs on the inclusion of Commercial and Industrial Waste in the Waste Framework Directive and Landfill Directive

• Amendment 933 - Jytte Guteland, Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, Pavel Poc - Art. 9(2)


Members States shall monitor and assess the implementation of the waste prevention measures. For that purpose, they shall use appropriate qualitative or quantitative indicators and targets, notably on the per capita quantity waste from households and similar commercial, industrial and institutional waste and waste that is prepared for reuse, recycled, disposed of or subject to other recovery, i.e. energy recovery.

• Amendment 1080 - Ulrike Müller - Art. 11 4a (new)


By 31 December 2018, the Commission shall examine the possibility of setting up preparing for re-use and recycling targets which apply to commercial waste, non-hazardous industrial waste and other waste streams, including waste-oil, to be met by 2025 and 2030. To that end, the Commission shall draw up a report, accompanied by a legislative proposal, if appropriate, which shall be sent to the European Parliament and the Council.

• Amendment 1081 - Nils Torvalds, Fredrick Federley, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Catherine Bearder, Frédérique Ries, Ulrike Müller, Anneli Jäätteenmäki, José Inácio Faria - Art. 11 4a (new)


By December 2018, Commission shall examine the possibility of setting up preparing for re-use and recycling targets, as well as other measures to boost the transition to a circular economy, which apply to commercial waste, non-hazardous industrial waste and other waste streams. To that end, the Commission shall draw up a report to the European Parliament and the Council, accompanied by a legislative proposal, if appropriate.

• AM 120 - Simona Bonafe (draft report) - Art. 11 3c (new)


By 31 December 2018, the Commission shall examine the possibility of setting up preparing for re-use and recycling targets which apply to commercial waste, non-hazardous industrial waste and other waste streams to be met by 2025 and 2030. To that end, the Commission shall draw up a report, accompanied by a legislative proposal, if appropriate, which shall be sent to the European Parliament and the Council.

• FINAL ADOPTED AM 174 IN THE PLENARY - Article 11 4a (new)


The Commission shall examine the possibility of setting preparing for re- use and recycling targets that apply to commercial waste, non-hazardous industrial waste and other waste streams to be met by 2025 and 2030. To that end, by 31 December 2018, the Commission shall draw up a report, accompanied by a legislative proposal, if appropriate, which shall be sent to the European Parliament and the Council. Amendment submitted by MEPs on the inclusion of waste other than municipal waste in the landfill directive

• FINAL ADOPTED AM 33 IN THE PLENARY - Article 5 (7)


By 31 December 2018 at the latest, the Commission shall examine the possibility to introduce a target and restrictions to the landfilling of non-hazardous waste other than municipal waste. To this end, a report of the Commission accompanied by a legislative proposal, if appropriate, shall be sent to the European Parliament and the Council.

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