There will be no expansion of the Netherlands’ capacity for waste incineration until 1 January 2020. Some waste incineration plants will be fast-tracked to so-called ‘R1 status’, i.e. they will become waste recovery plants, which will make it easier for them to source waste for incineration from other countries. These agreements have been made between Minister Jacqueline Cramer of the Environment and Spatial Planning, and the waste incineration plants (partly represented by the Association of Waste Processors (Vereniging Afvalbedrijven)).

The agreements have been set out in the Waste Incineration Capacity Regulation Agreement (Convenant capaciteitsregulering afvalverbranding), which was signed few days ago by Minister Cramer and the Chairman of the Association of Waste Processors, Pieter Hofstra.

The waste incineration plants currently in existence or currently being built in the Netherlands provide sufficient capacity. For a number of reasons – including the financial crisis – the supply of waste has dropped, which is why the government and the waste disposal sector are now agreeing not to expand existing waste incineration plants or build new ones.

The Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) will also grant accelerated R1 status to a number of incineration plants in the Netherlands that meet the relevant standards. In doing so, the minister is acting in advance of a European directive that is to take effect in the EU Member States towards the end of 2010. R1 status makes it easier for waste incineration plants to import waste.

The existing incineration plants that meet the standards for R1 status are Afval Energie Bedrijf (AEB) in Amsterdam, ARN in Weurt, AVR in Rozenburg, AZN in Moerdijk and a section of the Twence plant in Hengelo (Overijssel). There are several plants still being built or overhauled that also meet the standard.

Allocation of R1 status must also be included via a consultation procedure in the national waste management plan, which is a change to the plan that will need EU approval.

Quelle: Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM)

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