The regulations on the expansion of landfill sites are to be relaxed in Switzerland. The department of Environment Minister Albert Rösti wants to amend an ordinance to this end and has opened a consultation process until mid-April.
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Швейцария создаст дополнительные полигоны утилизации ТБО
With the relaxation, the government wants to address the lack of landfill space for the disposal of non-recyclable waste. The environment ministry said on Thursday that the expansion of existing landfill sites was one way of counteracting the tense situation.
The current waste ordinance specifically prohibits the expansion of existing landfills in the area of usable underground waters and the peripheral areas required to protect them. With the amendment to the ordinance, it should be possible in future to enlarge existing landfills in exceptional cases, even in the water protection area.
In Switzerland, there are a total of 32 landfill sites, for example for poorly soluble waste, slag from waste incineration and other waste up to certain organics limits, which could potentially be affected by the ordinance. The cantons are responsible for waste planning. The federal government assumes that only a few landfill sites will utilise the planned exemption.
In addition, the Swiss Free Landscape Association is to be included in the list of organisations that can submit an association complaint. After the association submitted an application to this effect, the environment ministry also sent the amended ordinance on the designation of organisations entitled to appeal in the area of environmental protection and the protection of nature and cultural heritage out for consultation.
In its report, the environment ministry said that the association fulfils the requirements. With the right of appeal, the Swiss Free Landscape Association will in future be able to take legal action against projects involving the construction of wind turbines which, in its opinion, do not comply with environmental protection or nature and cultural heritage protection regulations. The government expects that the expansion of renewable energies could be slowed down.
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