Title: The concept of "waste material": The European Union is at logger-heads with Italy

Date: 04/30/2007

Subject: On 15 February 2007 the European Parliament approved the Resolution about recycling of waste material, containing a political trend which is exactly the opposite of the one adopted in Italy at this moment, not only with regard to norms, but also to strategic choices. Indeed, the European Parliament seems to disassociate from the Italian "inventions" contained in law number 152/06, concerning environmental protection, and, to this purpose, it highlights the pivotal importance of the hierarchy of waste materials (prevention; reuse; recycling; other recovery operations, such as energy production; disposal); it points out that the modification of definitions, in this case the definition of "waste material", should only take place to clarify and not to weaken the laws concerning the protection of the environment. It also declares its opposition to a declassifying of waste materials that could lead to an unsuitable handling of the environment. With regard to secondary raw materials, combustible, and recovered products, the European Parliament clarifies that waste materials, which are no longer classified as such, can acquire this status only if the said waste materials have been subjected to a complete treatment of reuse, recycling, and useful use.

Original language: Italian

Classification: Art. 37 Environmental protection - Improvement of environmental conditions - Sustainable development

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