Doc. 10519

26 April 2005

Management of solid urban waste

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Preda and others

1.       Each year on average, a single European throws away 3.5 tonnes of solid household refuse and the figures show an upward trend. That is why the management of solid wastes is one of the major present-day challenges facing local administrations, particularly those of large conurbations.

2.       To ensure the collection, sorting, processing and recycling of solid urban wastes in an environmentally benign manner while catering for the inherent needs of urban development, a coherent approach and viable medium and long term solutions are required.

3.       The issue of solid urban wastes has aspects relating to the services that an urban administration must supply to the citizens, in terms of hygiene, health and living conditions, as well as managerial aspects linked with decentralisation, private sector involvement and making town-dwellers take a responsible attitude.

4.       Where their construction and sitting do not meet ecological or health requirements, refuse dumps can cause pollution (e.g. groundwater and air pollution, offensive smells, etc.) which are liable to have serious consequences for public health and for the environment.

5.       Thus, refuse accumulated or not collected in time, together with illicit dumps (whether large or small) pose major risks to health and to the environment. Where processing of wastes is concerned, unless stringent standards are observed, highly polluting emissions (e.g. dioxin) may be released during incineration processes.

6.       Solid wastes originating from hospitals and industry constitute specific categories and must have a separate sequence of collection, sorting and disposal or recycling.

7.       The Assembly invites member states to develop an integrated approach to management of solid urban wastes in order to further the sustainable development of towns in Europe and encourage R&D in the waste processing and recycling sector.

8.       It also invites the member states to facilitate co-operation between European towns, in order that pooled information on the best solutions regarding both administrative management of solid wastes and new technologies may be known and applied Europe-wide.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed ¹:

PREDA, Cezar Florin, Romania, SOC

BERCEANU, Radu-Mircea, Romania, SOC

CLIVETI, Minodora, Romania, SOC

DAMANAKI, Maria , Greece, SOC

DUPRAZ, John, Switzerland, LDR

DURRIEU, Josette, France, SOC

FERNÁNDEZ AGUILAR, Adolfo, Spain, EPP/CD

GUBERT, Renzo, Italy, EPP/CD

KUCHEIDA, Jean-Pierre, France, SOC

LENGAGNE, Guy, France, SOC

LOBKOWICZ, Jaroslav, Czech Republic, EPP/CD

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group