Europe – stakeholders disappointed that Commission backs down on biowaste legislation

Despite numerous calls from EU Member States, the European Parliament and a broad range of stakeholders, the European Commission has recently confirmed its decision to abandon the idea of an independent directive on biowaste.



A group of interested parties had been lobbying for such a directive, maintaining that it would give much needed guidance to help Member States, fulfil the targets of the Landfill Directive reducing biodegradable waste landfilling and make waste management investment decisions.



In a recent letter replying to a broad coalition of stakeholders , European Environment Commissioner Dimas confirmed that the Commission will not go down the route of dedicated legislation on biowaste. Instead it suggests alternative instruments, which only focus on the setting of quality standards – on compost and installations at EU level.



The coalition is deeply worried that this "hands-off" approach may endanger the timely and effective implementation of the Landfill Directive by leaving no guidance to Member States and local authorities as how best to achieve the landfill diversion targets in an integrated way. "The political signal of reducing reliance on landfill with clear diversion targets in the Landfill Directive was a necessary first step", said a spokesperson of the coalition. "However, it is essential that the Commission provides Member States with strategic guidance as regards which management options to consider when implementing national strategies for the diversion of biodegradables.



The compostable biowaste fraction of biodegradable waste is the biggest household waste fraction, which accounts for 30% to 45% of municipal solid waste across Europe. Setting harmonised recycling targets at EU level will therefore send an important political signal in a critical time period when Member States and local authorities are taking long-term decisions on future waste management policy direction and investments". By proposing an approach based solely on compost and installation standards, the Commission is reversing the strategic approach to waste policy taken up to now.



Actively steering EU waste management by setting clear goals for priority waste stream management is the basis for creating secure environments for investment and innovation in recycling across Europe. A good example is the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. Compost and other biological treatment standards alone will not provide adequate upstream guidance for the whole sector of the biological treatment of waste and organic matter recycling. "The Commission is wrong in believing that sustainable management of biowaste would take place without EU guidance", continued the coalition spokesperson. "Biowaste is a valuable resource and it is economically and environmentally unjustified to abandon EU legislation in this area".



The coalition is supported in its concerns by a number of EU Member States and now encourages other Member States, Members of the European Parliament and other actors to call on the Commission to respect the demands of the 6EAP, the European Parliament and the Council – and put biowaste legislation back onto the EU political agenda