If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it? Commission efforts to manage the definitions of waste, recycling and recovery, and to switch from a waste streams to a materials approach
Geert van Calster
elni Review 2006, pp. 18-22. https://doi.org/10.46850/elni.2006.004
Discussion on the EU definitions of ‘waste’, as well as ‘recovery’ and ‘disposal’ of waste have been, to paraphrase a standing expression, plentiful and hard on each other’s heels. Ever since the 1991 amendments to the 1975 framework directive, attempts have been made to disprove the usefulness of the definition of waste, and to question the lack of proper definition of the concepts of recovery and disposal. In order to assess the recently issued Commission Proposal for a (renewed) directive on waste, this contribution reviews first of all, succinctly, the nature and limitations of the ‘old’ (existing) definitions, subsequently it reviews the proposed changes.
References
- Richtlinie 91/156/EWG des Rates vom 18. März 1991 zur Änderung der Richtlinie 75/442/EWG über Abfälle, OJ 1991 L 78/32.
- Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975 on waste, OJ 1975 L194/39.
- Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste, COM(2005) 667.
- Communication From The Commission To The Council, The European Parliament, The European Economic And Social Committee And The Committee Of The Regions Taking sustainable use of resources forward: A Thematic Strategy on the preventionend recycling of waste, COM(2005) 666.
- Handbook of EU Waste law, Richmond, Richmond Law and Tax, 2006.
- Commission Decision 94/3 of 20 December 1993 establishing a list of wastes pursuant to Article 1(a) of Council Directive 75/442 on waste, OJ 1994 L5/115.
- 2000/532/EC: Commission Decision of 3 May 2000 replacing Decision 94/3/EC establishing a list of wastes pursuant to Article 1(a) of Council Directive 75/442/EEC on waste and Council Decision 94/904/EC establishing a list of hazardous waste pursuant to Article 1(4) of Council Directive 91/689/EEC on hazardous waste (notified under document number C(2000) 1147).
- 94/904/EC: Council Decision of 22 December 1994 establishing a list of hazardous waste pursuant to Article 1 (4) of Council Directive 91/689/EEC on hazardous waste OJ 1994 L 356/14.
- 94/3/EC: Commission Decision of 20 December 1993 establishing a list of wastes pursuant to Article 1a of Council Directive 75/442/EEC on waste, OJ 1994 L 5/15.
- 2000/532/EG: Entscheidung der Kommission vom 3. Mai 2000 zur Ersetzung der Entscheidung 94/3/EG über ein Abfallverzeichnis gemäß Artikel 1 Buchstabe a) der Richtlinie 75/442/EWG des Rates über Abfälle und der Entscheidung 94/904/EG des Rates über ein Verzeichnis gefährlicher Abfälle im Sinne von Artikel 1 Absatz 4 der Richtlinie 91/689/EWG über gefährliche Abfälle (Bekannt gegeben unter Aktenzeichen K(2000) 1147) (Text von Bedeutung für den EWR), OJ 2000 L 226/3.
- Court of Justice of the European Union, 1987, Judgment of the Court (Fourth Chamber) of 12 May 1987. Ministère public v Oscar Traen and others.
References for a preliminary ruling: Rechtbank van eerste aanleg Brugge - Belgium. Harmonisation of laws – Waste (Joined cases 372 to 374/85). - Court of Justice of the European Union, 2000, Judgment of the Court (Fifth Chamber) of 15 June 2000. ARCO Chemie Nederland Ltd v Minister van Volkshuisvesting, Ruimtelijke Ordening en Milieubeheer (C-418/97) and Vereniging Dorpsbelang Hees, Stichting Werkgroep Weurt+ and Vereniging Stedelijk Leefmilieu Nijmegen v Directeur van de dienst Milieu en Water van de provincie Gelderland (C-419/97).Reference for a preliminary ruling: Raad van State - Netherlands. Environment - Directives 75/442/EEC and 91/156/EEC - Concept of "waste" (Joined cases C-418/97 and C-419/97).
- Court of Justice of the European Union, 2002, Judgment of the Court (Sixth Chamber) of 18 April 2002. Palin Granit Oy and Vehmassalon kansanterveystyön kuntayhtymän hallitus. Reference for a preliminary ruling: Korkein hallinto-oikeus - Finland. Harmonisation of laws - Directives 75/442/EEC and 91/156/EEC - Concept of 'waste - Production residue - Quarry - Storage - Use of waste - No risk to health or the environment - Possibility of recovery of waste (Case C-9/00).
- Court of Justice of the European Union, 2002, Judgment of the Court (Fifth Chamber) of 27 February 2002. Abfall Service AG (ASA) v Bundesminister für Umwelt, Jugend und Familie. Reference for a preliminary ruling: Verwaltungsgerichtshof - Austria. Environment - Waste - Regulation (EEC) No 259/93 on shipments of waste - Competence of the authority of dispatch to scrutinise the classification of the purpose of a shipment (recovery or disposal) and to object to a shipment on the ground of an incorrect classification - Directive 75/442/EEC on waste - Classification of deposit of waste in a disused mine (Case C-6/00).
- Verordnung (EWG) Nr. 259/93 des Rates vom 1. Februar 1993 zur Überwachung und Kontrolle der Verbringung von Abfällen in der, in die und aus der Europäischen Gemeinschaft, OJ L 30. DOI: doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79467-4_7.
- Vorschlag für eine Richtlinie Des Europäischen Parlaments Und Des Rates über Abfälle, COM(2005) 667.
- Court of Justice of the European Union, 2003, Judgment of the Court (Sixth Chamber) of 11 September 2003. AvestaPolarit Chrome Oy. Reference for a preliminary ruling: Korkein hallinto-oikeus - Finland. Approximation of laws - Directives 75/442/EEC and 91/156/EEC - Meaning of waste - Production residue - Mine - Use - Storage - Article 2(1)(b) - Meaning of other legislation - National legislation outside the framework of Directives 75/442/EEC and 91/156/EEC (Case C-114/01).
- Court of Justice of the European Union, 2005, Judgment of the Court (Third Chamber) of 8 September 2005. Commission v Spain. Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations — Directives 75/442/EEC and 91/156/EEC — Meaning of 'waste' — Directives 85/337/EEC and 97/11/EC — Assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment — Directive 80/68/EEC — Protection of groundwater against pollution caused by certain dangerous substances — Directive 80/778/EEC — Quality of water intended for human consumption (Case -121/03).
- Court of Justice of the European Union, 2004, Judgment of the Court (Second Chamber) of 7 September 2004. Criminal proceedings against Paul Van de Walle, Daniel Laurent, Thierry Mersch and Texaco Belgium SA. Reference for a preliminary ruling: Cour d'appel de Bruxelles - Belgium. Environment - Waste - Directives 75/442/EEC and 91/156/EEC - Meaning of "waste', "producer of waste' and "holder of waste' - Soil infiltrated by leaked hydrocarbons - Independent operation of a service station belonging to a petroleum company (Case C-1/03).
- Communication of the Commission Towards a Thematic Strategy for Soil, COM(2002) 179.
- Pocklington, D., ‘The changing importance of “recovery” and “recycling” processes in EU waste management law’, European Environmental Law Review, 2000, (272-276) 274.
- Judgment of the High Court of 9 November 1998, Mayer Parry recycling Ltd v The Environment Agency, CH 1997 M No.2722, at 46.
- Court of Justice of the European Union, 2004, Order of the Court (Third Chamber) of 15 January 2004. Criminal proceedings against Marco Antonio Saetti and Andrea Frediani. Reference for a preliminary ruling: Tribunale di Gela - Italy. Article 104(3) of the Rules of Procedure - Directives 75/442/EEC and 91/156/EEC - Waste management - Definition of waste - Petroleum coke (Case C-235/02).
- Van Calster, G. ‘Waste incineration cases spark heated debate on waste management priorities’, Review of European Community and International Environmental Law (RECIEL), 2003, 340-344. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9388.00376.
- Van Calster, G. ‘The EC definition of waste: The Euro Tombesi bypass and Basel relief routes’, European Business Law Review, 1997, 137-143.