EU Legislation, Initiatives, etc.

WAG: Figures announced this week reveal that every local authority in Wales has met strict limits, set by the Assembly Government, on the amount of biodegradable waste it can send to landfill sites.  Wales, as a whole is also currently within its 2009/10 target set by Europe.
 
The Landfill Allowances Scheme (LAS) limits the amount of biodegradable municipal waste (such as paper, cardboard, kitchen scraps and garden cuttings) councils are allowed to send to landfill, instead encouraging the recycling, composting and treatment of this waste.  This reduces the negative environmental effects of landfilled waste, including carbon emissions produced by these sites.

2009/2010 is the first Landfill Directive Target year when Wales will need to report to the EU on its LAS performance.  Any Local Authorities who exceed their targets will incur severe financial penalties.
Press release ~ WAG - Environment and Countryside ~ Landfill Allowances Scheme (LAS) ~ Environment Agency - Waste
 
Defra: From January 2009 farmers will have to step up action to cut the amount of nitrates from fertiliser that gets into rivers.  This will include restricting the times of year that fertiliser can be spread on land and storing excess manure outside these times.
 
Treating the manure in on-farm anaerobic digestion plants while it is being stored could produce biogas, which farmers could use as a source of energy.  The treated manure can be returned to the soil as fertiliser.
Press release ~ Defra: Nitrates - reducing water pollution from agriculture ~ Environmental Transformation Fund - Anaerobic Digestion ~ FoE Briefing document ~ The European Anaerobic Digestion Network ~ UK Biomass Strategy 2007: Working paper 3. Anaerobic Digestion
 
Defra: Defra has published regulations extending the areas of England designated as Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) from 55% to around 70%. This reflects the Government's decision to continue designating the zones on a selective basis rather than adopt the whole territory approach of some Member States.
 
The Regulations also make changes to the Action Programme specifying actions which farmers in NVZs must take to reduce and prevent nitrate leaching and run-off to waters from manures and fertilisers.
Press release ~ Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) ~ Action Programme
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