France faces infringement proceedings over waste management plans

The basic requirement to establish waste management plans is found in the Framework Waste Directive. The Hazardous Waste Directive deals with hazardous waste. The Packaging Waste Directive requires waste management plans to have a separate chapter on packaging waste.

The Commission’s action against France relates to the absence of plans for certain departments (general waste) and regions (hazardous waste) as well as the general lack of a specific chapter on packaging waste. The action also relates to the failure of some plans to cover certain categories of waste, for example PCBs and clinical waste.

Waste management plans are a key element in the EU approach to waste, being intended to help achieve the objectives of waste prevention or reduction, waste recovery, environmentally safe waste disposal and the establishment of an integrated and adequate network of disposal installations across the EU. They are required to cover the type, quantity and origin of waste to be recovered or disposed of, general technical requirements, special arrangements for particular wastes and suitable disposal sites or installations.