Commission considers better waste law implementation and enforcement

After a study released last week, the European Commission is considering new implementation and enforcement measures for waste law. Full implementation of waste law could result in cost savings and job creation. Illegal waste operations in Member States are causing missed opportunities for economic growth, but stronger national inspections and better knowledge about waste management would bring major improvements.

The key conclusions from the study are:

  • We need to know more about waste. Better data and systematic monitoring of how the laws work in practice must be made available.
  • Better use of the polluter pays principle, and wider use of economic instruments like raising the costs of disposal, could help ensure compliance and provide the necessary financial resources for waste management.
  • Inspection and monitoring capabilities need to be strenghtened in Member States. This could mean establishing an auditing capacity at EU level and, possibly, common inspection standards.
  • One relatively cost-effective option to strengthen implementation at EU level could be to draw on the expertise and capabilities of the European Environment Agency (EEA). This option would lower administrative costs than creating a new agency dedicated to waste.

Source: European Commission