A Wasted Opportunity? EU environmental standards for waste incineration plants under review

European environmental standards for waste incineration plants are now finally being updated. Yet rather than tackling toxic pollution, in line with what is already being achieved by some of the best performing plants, the latest draft proposals for the updated standards mostly just maintain the status quo – and in some cases even weaken existing protections.
This report examines the proposals and makes recommendations for changes that could improve the new rules. It calls for a tightening of levels for the emissions of key pollutants to air and water. It demands that current flexibilities be removed and that certain exceptions be tightened or erased. It also recommends that certain techniques be made compulsory and that the requirements to monitor harmful emissions be strengthened.