Due to the potential negative health and environmental effects that hazardous waste may lead to, it is important to be aware of total arisings. Showing the data in relation to population allows for a meaningful comparison between Member States.
Hazardous waste arisings are relatively low but potentially very damaging to both the environment and human health. They are highlighted in the European Waste Catalogue with an asterisk beside the waste substance.
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal is an international treaty which came into force in 1992 having been signed by 172 Parties. It is designed to protect human health and the environment from potential adverse effects of hazardous wastes, through the control of transboundary movements and disposal of hazardous wastes. The driving force for drafting and adopting the Basel Convention was to prevent shipments of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries, a practise which had begun to take place as authorised disposal routes had become more expensive as a consequence of environmental regulations becoming stricter.
Targets
The EU Hazardous Waste Directive (91/689/EEC) stipulates that hazardous waste must be recorded, identified and kept separated from other types of hazardous and non-hazardous waste (this applies to those hazardous waste substances defined in the Directive).
The Landfill Directive (99/31/EC) banned co-disposal of waste which in practise means that hazardous waste must be assigned to a hazardous waste landfill (and municipal waste must go to a landfill for non-hazardous waste).
Directive 2006/66/EC on batteries and accumulators includes prohibitive measures for the marketing of batteries and accumulators which contain hazardous substances.
Total Hazardous Waste, kg per capita
Total Hazardous Waste, tonnes and kg per capita, 2004, 2006 and 2008 (Data Explorer)
Study on Hazardous Household Waste with a Main Emphasis on Hazardous Chemicals