91999E1984

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1984/99

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(5 November 1999)

Subject: Alleged illegal discharges of waste material

European law lays down precise rules for the recycling and discharge of solid urban waste and similar material, which is supposed to end up in rubbish tips. It transpires that in Lombardy, between Milan and Varese, some firms have engaged in recycling activities using new technologies. They rent entire hangars for their recycling activities, take plastic waste, process it and send it to cement works to be used as fuel. In practice, however, these hangars are soon abandoned and used simply as depositories for solid waste, plastics, tarpaulins and PVC, in other words as unauthorised waste-tips.

As the turnover of such firms seems to have reached spectacular levels, but more particularly in view of the serious threat to public health and the environment: Is the Commission aware of this practice? If so, will it take action to draw up a directive laying down precise conditions for the storage and disposal of refuse and plastic waste to ensure that the use of such hangars does not become a full-scale activity, usurping the role which is currently played by waste tips?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(9 December 1999)

On the basis of the information given by the Honourable Member, the Commission is not in a position to draw the attention of the Italian authorities to the practice mentioned by the Honourable Member. Therefore, the Commission invites the Honourable Member to submit more details on the matter, in particular identifying precisely the places concerned by the practice mentioned, in order to allow the Commission to possibly start an investigation.

Existing Community legislation on waste provides that Member States have to ensure that waste is recovered or disposed of without endangering human health and without using processes or methods which could harm the environment. The abandonment, dumping or uncontrolled disposal of waste is in general prohibited (Article 4 of Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975 on waste(1)). These rules are specified as regards landfilling of waste by virtue of Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of waste(2). Therefore, uncontrolled dumping of plastic waste even within buildings, such as hangars, is certainly prohibited under existing Community legislation.

(1) OJ L 194, 25.7.1975.

(2) OJ L 182, 16.7.1999.