Landfill Allowances Scheme for Wales
October 6, 2004
The Environment Agency has launched its Landfill Allowances Scheme in Wales, in terms of the Landfill Allowances Scheme (Wales) Regulations 2004. The Regulations are aimed at addressing the amount of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) going to landfill sites.
The landfill of BMW can contribute to environmental problems, such as leachate production and the release of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, which can contribute to climate change.
Launching the Schemes, the Agency said that waste has become the biggest environmental issue in Wales. In 2000/01, 93% of municipal waste in Wales was disposed of in landfill sites.
The reduction of BMW going to landfill has to be substantially reduced in terms of the Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC) and the Regulations provide the means by which this will be done.
The Waste and Emissions Trading Act 2003 established the framework for the Landfill Allowance Schemes in England and Wales.
The Scheme year for 2004, in Wales, will run for six months, from 1 October 2004 until 31 March 2005, from when it will operate on an annual basis, from 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006.
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