Waste management and Circular Economy (previous Landfill Inspections Project series)

Project outputs

Reports

Treatment of waste before landfilling according to art. 6 of the Landfill Directive: first analysis

2017-12-06

his Report provides the results of the section of the IMPEL Landfill Project focused on the implementation by EU Member States of art.6 of Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste, in order to investigate the situation in Member States as regards the landfilling of untreated waste. A survey was preliminary circulated. The report includes: - an analysis of the different approaches to evaluate the need of a treatment before landfilling - an analysis of criteria and technologies for waste treatment - permitting instructions for the mixing of the waste - observations on a common methodology to evaluate ANC when dealing with Stable non reactive waste - suggestions for a prop

Inventory Analisys (2016 protected)

Inventory Analysis on Landfill site management across The Europe

ToRs 2022-24

Project's References

Landfilling and Circular Economy (2018)

Guidance on Making the Circular Economy Work (2019)

This guidance document, prepared for regulators, focuses on the circular economy, particularly how to apply existing EU environmental, chemical, and product laws to promote circular innovations. The document explains key EU legislation like the Waste Framework Directive (WFD), Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR), and REACH, providing detailed annexes for each. It highlights the challenges regulators face in facilitating circular innovations, such as assessing end-of-waste status and navigating complex regulations. Practical tools are included to support regulators in these areas, including a proposed database for end-of-waste decisions. The document also emphasizes the needs and concerns of innovative businesses in the circular economy. It provides insights into how regulators can support businesses by providing access to information, clarifying regulations, and fostering a more coherent approach across the EU. Finally, the document explores the problem of plastic waste, summarizing EU policies and illustrating a more circular use of plastics.

Waste management and Circular Report Economy (previous Landfill Inspections Project series)

This document outlines the project's structure, meetings held, and networking efforts with other organizations. The document also details the work of various subgroups, including those focused on training, landfill guidance, the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) and circular economy, byproducts, and REACH regulations. A key initiative is the development of an end-of-waste database to facilitate information sharing and uniformity in decision-making

Landfill project (2011-2012)

The project resulted in a draft guidance document and checklist for landfill inspections, intended to promote consistent application of the Landfill Directive across EU member states. Key activities included: Information exchange through an online platform (Basecamp), A questionnaire to assess knowledge gaps and inspection needs across member states, A workshop in Sardinia to discuss inspection practices, challenges, and potential tools. Joint inspections in Slovenia and Romania focusing on waste acceptance, gas control, and soil and groundwater protection.

Landfill project (2013)

This report summarizes the findings of joint inspections of landfills in the Czech Republic, Croatia, and Poland conducted in 2013.he inspections focused on criteria and procedures for accepting waste, gas control, protection of soil and water, including groundwater, water control and leachate management. Inspectors from various EU member states participated in the inspections, using a standardized checklist to evaluate landfill operations.

Landfill project (2014 compressed)

This report summarizes various activities, including joint inspections, workshops, and training sessions in multiple countries from 2011 to 2014. The report includes details about the project's organization, the inspection teams involved, and the conclusions and recommendations from the joint inspections conducted in England and Portugal in 2014. It also highlights the need for continued training for inspectors and updating of the inspection guidance and checklist based on the experiences and knowledge gained

Guidence on REACH and Circular Economy/ 2023

This report examines the application of REACH Regulation (EU) No 1907/2006 to by-products and End-of-Waste materials within the Circular Economy. The report clarifies the relationship between REACH and waste legislation, specifically the Waste Framework Directive, providing practical examples and guidance on determining REACH obligations for waste-derived substances. The report covers key REACH aspects, including registration, authorization, restrictions, and exemptions, with a dedicated section on recycled plastics and enforcement in recovery plants.

Landfill Inspection Project Report Zaandam meeting (2016)

The meeting focused on to finalize the "Inspection Guidance Book for Landfill Inspection." Three new member states, Turkey, Belgium, and Portugal, joined the project. The meeting focused on finalizing inspection guidance, discussing pre-treatment of waste, and testing the inspection checklist at the Nauerna landfill.

Landfill Inspection Project Malta meeting (2016)

The meeting focused on reviewing and amending a guidance document and checklist for landfill inspections. Attendees, representing 13 European countries, discussed best practices for waste acceptance, biogas management, leachate and groundwater management, and top and bottom layer requirements. The report outlines the inspection's agenda, observations, and conclusions, suggesting updates to the guidance document and future project topics like landfill mining and pre-treatment practices.

Landfill Directive Implementation Gaps Analysis (2016)

The report examines the inconsistencies in implementing the Landfill Directive. It focuses on critical areas such as waste acceptance procedures, sampling plans, pre-treatment requirements, and monitoring protocols, revealing different national approaches that can lead to uneven enforcement and environmental protection. The report proposes recommendations for the European Commission and Member States to address the identified gaps and promote harmonized landfill management practices across the EU

Landfill project – Brussels (Belgium) (2017)

This report summarizes the third meeting of the IMPEL Landfill Project held in Brussels, focusing on landfill inspections in Flanders and the connection between landfill mining and the Circular Economy. Discussions during the meeting centered on the project's achievements, the scope for 2018, and the need for guidelines on pre-treatment, End-of-Waste (EoW), and by-products. The report also highlights the importance of training and joint inspections to enhance enforcement capacity among Member States.

Landfill project – Bratislava (Slovakia) (2017)

The meeting focused on pre-treating waste before landfilling. Attendees included representatives from 18 member states, including Norway and Slovakia for the first time

Landfill project in Riga (Latvia) (2017)

This document aims to standardize inspection practices for landfills and pre-treatment plants across Europe. The report focuses on the project’s goals, previous activities, a survey conducted on pre-treatment practices, and an inspection visit to a landfill and pre-treatment plant in Slovakia.

Brussels Meeting on Enabling Eco-Innovations for the Circular Economy,2018

This document summarizes a June 2018 meeting in Brussels between members of the MIW and IMPEL projects, which provide guidance to regulators on applying EU environmental law, and DG Environment, the European Commission's department responsible for EU environmental policy. The meeting focused on the MIW-IMPEL project's efforts to develop guidance for regulators on waste prevention and recycling to promote a circular economy, and how the project could contribute to DG Environment’s Environmental Compliance Assurance initiative

Cyprus Meeting Report on Waste Management and Circular Economy, 2018

The document summarizes a joint workshop held in Nicosia, Cyprus in September 2018, focused on drafting guidance to facilitate the transition to a circular economy in Europe. The participants presented case studies of EoW policies and practices in different countries and discussed the need for a shared database of EoW decisions. The participants also performed a joint inspection of a waste treatment facility in Cyprus and identified areas for improvement in waste management practice. The workshop concluded by outlining next steps and soliciting feedback from the participants

Treviso Meeting Report on Waste Management and Circular Economy, 2018

This document summarizes the joint workshop on Waste/End-of-Waste (EoW), held in Treviso, Italy on April 19-20, 2018. Experts from several European countries shared their insights on EoW policies, the application of EoW criteria, and practical cases. Participants discussed the challenges and opportunities for promoting the circular economy through waste recovery. They also visited a diaper recycling plant at Contarina S.p.A. as a case study of eco-innovation.

Making the Circular Economy Work Conference, Rome 2019

This report summarizes the MIW&IMPEL Conference in Rome, focusing on the launch of the "Guidance for regulators on enabling innovations for the circular economy". The guidance aims to facilitate the transition to a Circular Economy by connecting policy, law, and practical application, supporting regulators, policymakers, and businesses in navigating the complexities of waste prevention, recycling, and the use of secondary raw materials. Discussions at the conference centered around End-of-Waste, by-products, regulatory strategies, and the role of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) in fostering circular innovations

Guidance and tools

Guidance Making the Circular Economy Work

A crucial element in the transition to the Circular Economy are the innovations at production and recycling facilities that aim at resource efficiency, the prevention of waste and the use of production residues or materials recovered from waste as secondary raw materials. A key condition for making these circular innovations work is to better connect policy, law and regulation on the ground. This guidance was developed to support regulators, policy- and law-makers and businesses in enabling and carrying through such innovations and rise to some of the commonly shared challenges.

The report contains the minutes of the MIW&IMPEL Conference, where the “Guidance for regulators on enabling innovations for the circular economy (prevention and recycling of waste)” has been launched.

Guidance book for landfill inspections (revised version 2016)

As an inspection at a landfill has to cover different subjects. Based on IMPEL’s project on Landfills, the inspection team decided to choose certain subjects to focus on for this guidance, namely:
(1) Criteria and procedures for the acceptance of waste.
(2) Gas control.
(3) Protection of soil and water (underground water).
(4) Water control and leach ate management.

This guidance contains for each of the above mentioned subjects a short description, including the requirements in the Landfill Directive regarding this activity. Secondly reference is given to (know) existing guidance and tools in EU member states.