These Regulations implement (in part), Council Directive 75/442 EEC on Waste (“the Waste Framework Directive”) and Council Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste (“the Landfill Directive”).

Regulation 2 amends the Landfill Regulations to create an offence if the operator of a landfill continuing to take agricultural waste and/or mines or quarries waste after 31 July 2006 contravenes the requirements to submit a conditioning plan for that site to the Department by 1 June 2007, to submit such reports in connection with the closure of the landfill as may be required by notice in writing, fails to comply with and observe such conditions as are specified in a notice served in relation to the closure of a landfill or does not comply with the obligations imposed on the operator of any landfill which is for the time being classified as a landfill for hazardous waste pending determination of an application made pursuant to Schedule 4 of those Regulations.

The Regulatory Impact Assessment of these Regulations was included in that of the Waste Management Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006, a copy of which has been placed in the library of the Northern Ireland Assembly and copies can be obtained from Environmental Policy Division, 20-24 Donegall Street, Belfast, BT1 2GP.