Criteria on the quality of waste destined to be disposed of in different types of landfill have been published after more than three years of negotiations. The rules aim to serve as a crucial reference point for member states to implement the 1999 landfill directive.

Under the rules strict EU-wide maximum pollution leaching limits will apply to the three different types of waste dumped in landfill:
hazardous
non-hazardous
inert waste
Member state authorities, will be able to set national limits up to three times higher for individual landfill sites.

Copies of the document are available from the European Union's website at:

http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/dat/2003/l_011/l_01120030116en00270049.pdf