Landfill

EC Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC) - Northern Ireland Landfill Allowance Scheme (NILAS)

The EC Landfill Directive aims to prevent as far as possible the negative effects of the landfill of waste on both the environment and on human health.

The diversion of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) from landfill is a key objective under the Landfill Directive. For the UK, these targets are to reduce the amount of BMW sent to landfill to 75% of 1995 levels by 2010, to 50% of 1995 levels by 2013 and to 35% of 1995 levels by 2020.

The Northern Ireland Landfill Allowance Scheme is one of the key measures to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste going to landfill and was introduced on 1 April 2005 (similar schemes were introduced in the rest of the UK). The Scheme sees progressive reductions in the amount of biodegradable waste – such as paper, food and garden waste – that Councils can landfill.

Landfill allowances have been allocated to each council in Northern Ireland for each year to 2019/20 at a level that will enable Northern Ireland to meet its targets, as a contribution to the UK targets, under the Landfill Directive. Each allowance permits one tonne of biodegradable municipal waste to be landfilled and the allowances allocated to each council reduce over time to force compliance with the Landfill Directive targets. The DOE’s Environment and Heritage Service monitors the Scheme.