Guidance on permitting and inspection of waste management ...

07030/2010/576173/SER/C2 232.2.4. WEEE DirectiveScope and backgroundThe WEEE Directive aims to prevent WEEE, and where this is not possibleto recycle and recover it to reduce its disposal and to reduce the negativeenvironmental impacts of WEEE through proper treatment of collectedWEEE. It requires Member States to ensure that collection and treatmentschemes are set up and set minimum collection targets to increaseseparate collection and also makes producers responsible for the financingof the WEEE management. The Directive thus aims at enhancing efficientcollection, treatment and “design for recycling”.PermittingAdditional WEEE requirements are set for those waste treatmentestablishments for which permits are necessary under WFD and which aretreating WEEE, namely Article 6(4) WEEE Directive, which requires that allpermits have to consider the necessary elements to comply with WEEErequirements (e.g. the removal of all fluids and selective treatment inaccordance with Annex II, technical requirements set out in Annex III, andensure recovery according to Article 7).WEEE DirectivePermit:Including necessaryelements to complywith WEEE DirectiveInspection andmonitoring:- On-siteinspections ofWEEE treatmentfacilities- Consideringminimumstandards oninspections- Inspections forfacilitiesexempted forregistration atleast once a yearInspection and monitoringIn Article 16 of the WEEE Directive, it is generally emphasised that MemberStates are obliged to undertake inspections and monitoring in the fieldcovered by the scope of the Directive, a provision which is supported byRecital 23 of the Directive, referring to Recommendation 2001/331/EC ofthe European Parliament and of the Council providing for minimum criteriafor environmental inspections in the Member States (see Chapter 4.5).Further, Article 6(2) WEEE Directive provides that for derogations frompermit requirements under Article 24(b) WFD, specified inspections in therespective recovery facilities are a precondition. In this regard thecompetent authority shall carry out an inspection before the registrationverifying:the type and quantities of waste to be treated;the general technical requirements to be complied with;the safety precautions to be taken.The inspection shall be carried out at least once a year and the results shallbe communicated by the Member States to the Commission.---------------------------Reference- Art. 6 and 16WEEE DirectiveFurther reading- The manualincludes asynoptic table inChapter 4,providing anoverview of thelegalrequirementsEuropean Commission<strong>Guidance</strong> (Final version)Services to support Member States' enforcement actions and inspections concerning the application of EU waste legislation