International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

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29/09/09
cosmopolitan 903 or not, and Western Australia has rates for putrescible waste
per tonne, and inert waste by volume (in m 3);
� Austria: A differential waste tax was initially implemented with the aim of
encouraging an improvement in the level of technology used at landfills in
order to reduce pollution. Following this, a landfill ban on waste with Total
Organic Content (TOC) above 5% was introduced. Waste which fails to meet
this criterion has to be either incinerated, or treated in mechanical biological
treatment (MBT) facilities. Where the waste is treated in MBT facilities, the
resultant residue – which has to meet a specified threshold for biological
stability - is subjected to a landfill disposal tax of around one quarter of that
untreated waste.
� Finland: A landfill tax was introduced against the backdrop of low waste
management costs. The aim was to stimulate waste minimisation and material
reuse, and to reduce landfilling. Furthermore a ban on landfilling was
introduced in 2005 to reduce landfilling of BMW and to divert any other
materials that could cause environmental damage in the long term through
being landfilled. Two routes can be adopted to comply with the BMW ban:
firstly, by introducing separate food waste collections; secondly, through
stabilising the waste through MBT prior to landfilling.
� Germany: A comprehensive landfill ban was introduced as large quantities of
waste were being landfilled due to its relatively cheap cost. It includes
untreated household waste, and wastes with total organic carbon content
>5%. The ban was known about for 12 years prior to its implementation,
allowing for approaches to adapt in order to manage the regulation.
� Hungary: A landfill ban was introduced in 2000. It covers several material
steams such as hazardous and organic waste. The ban on organic waste has
been staggered over time to 2016, most likely to allow for collection systems
and infrastructure to develop.
� Italy: A waste tax to promote materials and energy recovery was followed by
landfill bans to reduce hazardous materials deposited in landfills. The tax rate
can be set regionally within National limits and the revenue is used to fund
environmental programmes and regional protection agencies.
� Belgium - Flanders: The system in Flanders is the most complex out of all the
policies evaluated in this report, but also one of the most effective. Landfill
bans are in place for; unsorted household waste; waste collected for the
purpose of recovery or that which is fit for recycling; and incinerable residues
from sorting processes. In addition incineration bans are in effect for unsorted
waste and waste fit for material recovery or recycling, except some types of
biowaste that have a calorific value above 11.5 MJ/kg and is used for the
creation of renewable energy. The Flemish landfill and incineration tax regime
includes 37 different regimes and tariffs. In essence, these have been
903 ‘Cosmopolitan’ waste is broadly similar to municipal waste.