The Landfill (Maximum Landfill Amount)(Northern Ireland) Regulations 2004

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations are made under section 2(1)(d) of the Waste and Emissions Trading Act 2003 (“the Act”). Section 23(1) of the Act, as amended by regulation 2 of the Landfill (Scheme Year and Maximum Landfill Amount) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/1936; “the earlier Regulations”), defines “scheme year” and “target year”.

Regulation 1 (citation, commencement and extent) provides that these Regulations only apply to Northern Ireland and that they come into force the day after they are made.

Regulation 2 (maximum amount of waste sent to landfills from Northern Ireland in non-target years) specifies the maximum amount of biodegradable municipal waste that may be sent to landfills from Northern Ireland in the scheme years 2010/11 and 2011/12 (respectively the sixth and seventh scheme years under the Act for Northern Ireland). For the sixth scheme year, which for Northern Ireland will begin on 1st April 2010, the maximum amount specified is 469,937 tonnes. For the seventh year, which for Northern Ireland will begin on 1st April 2011, the maximum amount specified is 465,950 tonnes.

Maximum amounts for target years and other scheme years have already been set for Northern Ireland by the earlier Regulations.

The earlier Regulations specify maximum amounts of biodegradable municipal waste that may be sent to landfills from Northern Ireland in the target years ending on 31st March 2010, 2013 and 2020. The maximum amounts specified by the earlier Regulations for these target years are 470,000, 320,000 and 220,000 tonnes respectively.

The earlier Regulations also specify maximum amounts of biodegradable municipal waste that may be sent to landfills from Northern Ireland in the first, second, third and fourth scheme years (which for Northern Ireland will begin on 1st April 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 respectively). The maximum amounts specified by the earlier Regulations for these scheme years are 669,885, 655,545, 641,235 and 626,925 tonnes respectively.

A full regulatory impact assessment of the effects that this instrument will have on the costs of business has been prepared for these Regulations. Copies may be obtained from Waste Landfill Policy, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Zone 7/E8, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DE. A copy has been placed in the library of each House of Parliament.