On the 18th of August 2021 Ordinance no. 2/2021regarding the landfills was published in the Official Gazette.
The Ordinance repeals GD no. 349/2005 on landfill – both the old and the current regulation apply to those who perform landfill activities.
The main aspects regulated by the ordinance are the following:
- Measures are established to stimulate a circular economy. In accordance with Directive no. 98/2008, to which the Ordinance refers, there are, among others, the following measures to stimulate the circular economy:
Promoting eco-design (systematic integration of environmental aspects in product design in order to improve their environmental performance throughout their life cycle);
Providing information on waste generation prevention techniques to facilitate the implementation of industry best available techniques;
The organization of training courses for competent authorities on the inclusion of requirements on the prevention of waste generation in permits issued under Directive no. 98/2008 and Directive 96/61/EC.
- Introducing the obligation of economic operators generating waste from industry operating their own landfills aswell as operators of landfilling waste from industry providing storage services to third parties to keep a separate record of the costs incurred for the organization, operation, the closure of the landfill, its post-closure monitoring, including the costs of the environmental financial guarantee and the closure fund, in a format set by the empowered agency by a regulatory act;
- With regard to the issuance of the Environmental Permit for Landfills, they will no longer be granted if the applicant does not provide proof of the establishment of a closure fund and a financial guarantee. The methods for setting up the environmental financial guarantee and the fund for closing and post-closing monitoring of the deposit, their purpose and the use of the amounts are also detailed;
- The ordinance establishes a separate sanction for those who do not comply with the obligations regarding the closure fund – suspension of the activity until the restoration of compliance with the legal requirements regarding the establishment, supply and use of the fund;
- The need to take measures so that, from 2030 onwards, no waste that can be recycled or otherwise recovered will be accepted in landfills;
- By2035, the total quantity, expressed in tones, of municipal waste disposed annually by landfill shall be reduced to 10% or less of the total municipal waste generated. It also mentions the conditions under which the achievement of this objective can be postponed by up to 5 years;
- It is clarified the way in which the National Environmental Protection Agency calculates whether the objectives have been met, stating that the central public administration for environmental protection will establish an effective system of quality control and traceability of municipal waste disposed in landfills, which will be managed by the Environmental Fund Agency;
- Moreover, other aspects are regulated, such as:
Documentation in order to obtain the environmental agreement; What are the procedures for accepting waste in landfills;
Control and monitoring procedures in the phase of operation of landfills; Procedures for closing landfills and post-closure monitoring.
The Ordinance entered into force on the 21st of August 2021.
