Brussels, 03/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - The proper management of waste is expensive, but may attract investment and create jobs, says the Parliament. The resolution adopted on 2 February, however, notes that there is still a long way to go. Following their rapporteur Carlos Iturgaiz (EPP, Spain), the MEPs base their observation on the questions raised by the citizens of the EU in petitions they have submitted regarding the deficient application of the EU's legislative arsenal regarding waste.
The Parliament is therefore calling on the member states to transpose the framework directive on waste (2008/98/EC) as soon as possible and to ensure that all of its requirements are followed. The European Commission is invited to pay close attention to the transposition of the directive on the protection of the environment by criminal law (2008/99/EC) and to look at the share of organised crime in infringements of the law. The Parliament also recommends increasing financial and administrative resources at European level to better guide and train the civil servants of the national competent authorities in the field of waste.
In order to reduce any risks to public health and the environment caused by poor waste management, the MEPs call upon the Commission to propose clearer and more specific criteria for the siting of landfill sites in relation to homes, schools and hospitals. Member states faced with a waste crisis (Ed: such as the one currently raging in Campania) are called upon to take account of the fact that the most effective waste management strategies not only offer job creation and income improvement opportunities, but safeguard environmental sustainability via re-use, recycling and the creation of energy from waste.
The Parliament urges the Commission and the EU27 to keep the public informed about the benefits of sorting their waste for recycling, the real costs of household waste and, as a counterbalance, the financial returns from creating energy from waste. It also proposes the adoption of a common European standard for colour-coding categories of waste for sorting and recycling purposes. Between 2004 and 2010, the petitions committee of the Parliament received 114 petitions alleging infringements of the legislation applicable to waste handling. More petitions are received on environmental issues than on any other subject, and those regarding waste make up a considerable sub-category. (AN/transl.fl)