The European Commission closed the criminal procedure against Bulgaria after all the old landfills were closed and rehabilitated. Thus, our country has fulfilled its obligations under the Waste Landfill Directive, announced the Ministry of Environment and Water.
More: The EC wants financial sanctions for Bulgaria because of the non-reclaimed landfills
113 landfills have been reclaimed
The decision of the EC is from April 24. It comes after Bulgaria reported in December last year that all 113 landfills subject to the 2015 Court of Justice ruling had been closed and reclaimed. On November 17, 2023, the reclamation of the last non-compliant municipal landfill was also completed. The commission checked the implementation of the completed reclamation activities of all municipal landfills.
By closing the criminal procedure, Bulgaria avoided the payment of serious financial sanctions that threatened our country if it had not fulfilled the requirements and had not removed the violations of EU law in the field of waste disposal.
More: The EC refers Bulgaria to the Court of Justice of the EU because of the waters, another violation procedure begins
The results
The results of the closure and reclamation of landfills are limiting environmental pollution to a minimum, preventing the potential contamination of water sources, capturing and removing landfill gas safely and controllably from the body of the landfill, improving the living conditions of the population, the Ministry of Education and Culture reports.
Photo: Waste landfill in Blagoevgrad, BGNES
More: EC extended 3 penalties for Bulgaria, including for car insurance
The purpose of landfill closure and reclamation is to strengthen the terrain on which waste has been accumulated and to ensure maximum sustainability and containment of the waste. Protection against leachate penetration into the water is provided, the release of odors and dust particles, as well as the dispersal of plastics, paper and other light fractions are stopped.
With the decision of the EU Court of Justice of July 16, 2015, Bulgaria was condemned for not closing 113 non-compliant landfills for non-hazardous waste by July 2009. In the autumn of 2021, the European Commission warned that the country us to be brought before the Court of the EU for the payment of significant financial sanctions due to the still unreclaimed 43 landfills – the subject of the criminal procedure.
More: PP-DB: EC started criminal procedure against Bulgaria because of four parties (VIDEO)
Tags: Bulgaria avoided Court Justice key criminal procedure closed
