Council Directive on the landfill of waste (99/31/EEC)

The objective of this Directive is to minimise the risks to the environment and to Human Health, from the use of Landfill sites.

The Directive requires member states to take out a number of measures including treating waste before landfill, phasing-out co-disposal (the mixing of hazardous waste with non-hazardous waste) and control the closure of sites and care of sites after landfill. The aim of the Directive is for member states to encourage better waste management to reduce the amount of waste that needs to be disposed of.

Member States are responsible for making sure that National strategies are set up to implement the Directive; this includes setting up competent authorities to control the disposal of waste to landfill sites.