One of the first new laws to be discussed in the Parliament's spring session is the proposed bill on waste management, which will be presented by the Minister for Rural Development. The new law will create the conditions for uniform, efficient and environmentally friendly waste management, and provides incentives for a new approach to the issue. The bill clarifies the definition of waste, and determines in detail how waste should be handled. It squarely determines the tasks and responsibilities of both market participants and the public, as well as the advantages gained. It clearly defines who is the producer and receiver of the waste, i.e. those involved in waste management: collection, transport, salvaging, processing.

The goal of the new bill is to reduce the amount of waste being produced and to increase the ratio of salvaging of waste materials so that the least possible waste is deposited in landfills. Depositories are the worst solution to waste management, as they endanger the environment and mean the loss of resources.

The 6-year National Waste Prevention Programme, which must be formulated before December 12 2013, also aims at reducing waste production. The programme will be drawn up as part of the National Waste Management Plan.

The bill determined a so-called waste hierarchy in the interests of suitable waste management. A new element is the determination of a criteria system for by-products. The bill stipulates the criteria for determining if a material or object is a by-product or waste. This makes it possible for corporations to distribute materials and objects derived from production processes as by-products instead of having to classify them as waste, and needing to request a waste management permit from the authorities. The bill also determines certain cases in which waste status may cease to be in effect, meaning that if certain requirements are met, salvaged waste may once again be classified as produce.

The new bill on waste management specifies the principle of extended manufacturer's responsibility. It motivates the manufacturers of products to search for solutions that result in the least possible quantity of waste and hazardous material content prior to production. In the case of certain products, the manufacturer must also assume responsibility for the collection and treatment of the waste generated.

The bill introduces stricter and more precise regulations to prevent and penalise the irresponsible handling of waste.

The consequences for those who violate regulations regarding official permits and monitoring, and on waste management, will become more serious than at present. Amongst other rules, the new bill stipulates that those who transport waste without permission, or who place or leave waste on another's property or on publicly owned land, may have the equipment and vehicle used for these activities impounded on the spot by the environment authorities. The regulations regarding registration of information and the provision of data will also be augmented with a new provision: all paperwork must be kept by those liable for a period of 5 years, or 10 years in the case of dangerous waste.

New regulations that require certain businesses to set aside financial provisions are also aimed at protecting the environment. This is required so that if a certain plant were to close down or cease operations, there are still funds to complete recultivation. If someone "produces" or transports dangerous waste above a certain quantity, they will be required to procure insurance. This sum may then be used to finance the remediation of any environmental damage caused.

The new bill will introduce waste deposit contribution payments, which the operator of landfills and depositories must pay based on the quantity and type of waste deposited. The introduction of these contributions is also an incentive for those involved to favour salvaging and reprocessing over depositing.

The new bill stipulates deadlines for several measures. The so-called "door-to-door" selective waste collection system will be set up throughout the country by 2015. This means that the public will selectively collect their glass, metal, plastic and paper waste. The regulations also stipulate the fact that the recycling ratio of glass, metal, plastic and paper retrieved from household waste and similar sources must be increased to 50% by 2020. In the case of non-dangerous construction and demolition waste, this ratio will increase to 70%.

Pursuant to the new regulations, waste management public services will become the responsibility of the state from January 1, 2013. From next year, only those businesses may be involved in public services that are at least 50% owned by the state or local governments.

The introduction of the new law will go hand-in-hand with a review of the related implementation and enforcement regulations, so that they form a unified system with the new legislation. The new Waste Management Law is concordant with the new law on Environmental Product Charges.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)