22. 7. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 190/1 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Directive on the landfill of waste 
(91/C 190/01) 
COM(91)102 SYN 335 
(Submitted by the Commission on 23 April 1991) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing die European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 100a 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
In cooperation with the European Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social 
Committee, 
Whereas the resolution of the Council of 7 May 1990 on 
waste policy (!) adopts the Community strategy document 
and invites the Commission to propose criteria and standards 
for disposal of waste by landfill; 
Whereas there is a need, in a Community without internal 
frontiers, to harmonize the technical standards for the 
landfill of waste on a high level of environmental 
protection; 
Whereas it is considered necessary to take the appropriate 
measures to avoid the abandonment, dumping or 
uncontrolled disposal of waste; 
Whereas disparities between technical standards for the 
disposal of waste by landfill might give rise to preferential 
disposal of waste in facilities with low standards of 
environmental protection, where disposal costs are inferior, 
and thus create a potentially serious threat to the 
environment, due to unnecessarily long transport of the 
wastes as well as to inappropriate disposal practices; Whereas any disparity between the laws and technical 
standards of the Member States on the landfill of waste can 
distort the conditions of competition and thereby directly 
affect the establishment and functioning of the internal 
market; 
Whereas the disparity between technical standards and 
control and operating procedures in landfills gives rise to 
differences in the cost of waste disposal and thus affects the 
conditions of competition; 
Whereas in view of what is said above it is necessary to dearly 
define the classes of landfill to be considered and the types of 
waste to be accepted in the different classes of landfill; 
Whereas it is necessary to clearly point out which are the 
general requirements with which landfills must comply, 
dealing with location, development, control and protective 
measures to be taken, in particular against the pollution of 
groundwater by leachate infiltration into the soil; 
Whereas it is necessary to harmonize the permit procedures 
for all classes of landfills according to die general licensing 
requirements already set down in Council Directive 
75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975 (2) on waste, as amended by 
Directive 91/156/EEC (3), and to die particular aspects of 
landfill as required in this Directive; 
Whereas it is necessary to avoid disparities in the waste 
acceptance procedures in different landfills, and for this a 
homogeneous system of waste sampling, characterization 
and analysis will have to be fixed; 
Whereas it is necessary to establish common control 
procedures during the operation and aftercare phases of a 
(») OJ No C 122, 18. 5. 1990, p. 2. (2) OJ No L 194, 25. 7. 1975, p. 39. 
(3) OJ No L 78, 26. 3. 1991, p. 32. 
No C 190/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 7. 91 
landfill in order to identify any possible adverse 
environmental effect of the landfill and take the appropriate 
corrective measures; 
Whereas it is necessary to define when and how a landfill 
should be closed and the obligations of the operator on the 
site during the aftercare period; 
Whereas it is necessary to regulate the conditions in which 
existing landfills shall operate and the measures to be taken 
for their adaptation to the conditions laid down in this 
Directive; 
Whereas an old operating site should be corrected as far as 
possible in order to mitigate its possible negative 
environmental impact; 
Whereas in compliance with the 'polluter pays' principle the 
price charged for waste disposal in a landfill shall cover at 
least all the costs involved in the setting up, operation and 
aftercare of the facility; 
Whereas in order to provide sufficient funds for the control of 
a closed site it is proposed to create a 'Landfill aftercare fund' 
to ensure that closed landfills are properly monitored during 
the aftercare phase and appropriate curative action can be 
taken if needed; 
Whereas, with a view to following the evolution of waste 
disposal by landfill, it is considered necessary to provide 
data, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
Article 1 
Field of application 
1. Member States shall apply this Directive to any landfill 
as defined in Article 3 (e). 
2. Transfer stations as defined in Article 3 (g) and 
facilities for the storage of waste as defined in Article 3 (h) 
shall be excluded from the scope of this Directive. 
Article 2 
Types of waste 
For the purposes of this Directive 'waste' means any 
substance or object which is covered by Directive 
75/442/EEC. 
According to its origin, waste is classified as: 
— 'municipal waste', According to its characteristics, waste is classified as: 
— 'hazardous waste', 
— 'non-hazardous waste', 
— 'inert waste'. 
Article 3 
Definitions , 
For the purposes of this Directive: 
(a) 'municipal waste' means domestic refuse, as well as 
commercial or trade refuse and other waste which, 
because of its nature or composition, is similar to 
domestic refuse; 
(b) 'industrial waste' means waste arising from 
manufacturing or industrial activities or processes; 
(c) 'hazardous waste' means any waste which is covered by 
Council Directive 78/319/EEC of 20 March 1978 on 
toxic and dangerous waste (*); 
(d) 'inert waste' means waste that, when deposited into a 
landfill, does not undergo any significant physical, 
chemical or biological transformations and which 
complies with the eluate criteria set out in Annex III; 
(e) 'landfill' means a waste disposal site used for the 
controlled deposit of the waste onto or into land; 
(f) 'mono-landfilF means a landfill site or a part of it where 
only one defined type of waste is deposited; meaning by 
this waste which is comparable with respect to origin, 
composition, and the characteristics of their 
leachates; 
(g) 'transfer station' means a facility where waste is 
unloaded in order to permit its preparation for further 
transport for recovery, treatment or disposal 
elsewhere; 
(h) 'storage' means the controlled temporary deposit of 
waste prior to recovery, treatment or disposal. Waste to 
be stored for more than one year (long-term storage) will 
have to be stable, non-reacting waste, otherwise it will 
have to be previously stabilized. Permanent or indefinite 
storage shall be considered as equivalent terms to 
landfill; 
(i) 'treatment' means the physical, chemical or biological 
processes that change the characteristics of the waste in 
order to reduce its volume or hazardous nature, 
facilitate its handling or enhance recovery; 
(j) leachate' means any water percolating through the 
deposited waste and emitted from or contained within a 
landfill; 
— 'industrial waste'. (') OJ No L 84, 31. 3. 1978, p. 43. 
22. 7. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 190/3 
(k) 'landfill gas' means all the gases generated from the 
landfilled waste; 
(1) 'eluate' means the solution obtained by a simulated 
laboratory leaching test; 
(m) 'operator' means the natural or legal person responsible 
for a landfill. 
Article 4 
Classes of landfill 
1. Depending on the types of waste to be deposited the 
following classes of landfill will be considered within the 
scope of this Directive: 
— landfill for hazardous waste, 
— landfill for municipal and non-hazardous wastes and 
for other compatible wastes, as defined in the 
compatibility criteria set out in Annex III, 
— landfill for inert waste. 
2. Each landfill shall be classified according to the terms of 
this Directive. 
3. A landfill may receive a multiple classification, provided 
that the disposal operations are carried out in separate 
areas of the site, and that each of these areas complies 
with the specific requirements set for that class of 
landfill. 
4. Independently of their type, wastes can be assigned to a 
mono-landfill, as defined in Article 3 (f). Mono-landfills 
will have to comply with the requirements fixed for the 
class of landfill to which they belong, according to the 
type of waste deposited in them. 
Article 5 
General requirements for all classes of landfill 
A landfill must comply with the necessary requirements set 
out in Annexes I, III and IV in order to avoid environmental 
damage. 
Article 6 
Application for a permit 
The application for a landfill permit, as required in Article 9 
of Directive 75/442/EEC shall fulfil at least the 
requirements and procedures as specified in Annex II. 
Article 7 
Conditions of the permit 
Member States shall ensure that: 
1. The competent authority shall not issue a landfill permit 
unless: (a) the application is complete and in accordance with 
this Directive; 
(b) the applicant (owner and / or operator of the facility) 
responds to the appropriate technical and financial 
specifications required to establish and operate a 
landfill; 
(c) the landfill project complies with all the 
requirements laid down in this Directive; 
(d) the landfill project is compatible with the waste 
disposal plans established pursuant to Article 7 of 
Directive 75/442/EEC; 
2. prior to the commencement of disposal operations, the 
competent authority shall carry out an inspection of the 
site in order to ensure that it complies with the conditions 
of the permit. 
Article 8 
Content of the permit 
1. In accordance with the provisions set out in Article 9 of 
Directive 75/442/EEC, the landfill permit shall state at 
least the following: 
(a) the list of defined types of waste to be permitted or 
excluded in the landfill; 
(b) the requirements for the landfilling operations and 
control procedures as well as for the closure and 
aftercare operations. 
2. The permit may be revised. In order to revise a permit, 
the procedures set out in Articles 6, 7 and 8 (1) of this 
Directive shall apply. 
Article 9 
Waste not acceptable for landfill 
Member States shall ensure that: 
1. the following wastes shall not be accepted in a 
landfill: 
— wastes in liquid state, unless compatible with the type 
of wastes acceptable in each individual landfill, and 
with the operating procedure of the site (Annex IV: 
water balance). 
— wastes which, in the conditions of landfill, are 
explosive, oxidizing, highly flammable or 
flammable, as defined by Directive 78/319/EEC, 
— waste arising from medical or veterinary 
establishments which is infectious as defined by 
Directive 78/319/EEC, 
— any other type of waste which does not fulfil the 
criteria specified in Annex III, unless it is assigned to a 
mono-landfill as indicated in Article 10 (4) of this 
Directive; 
No C 190/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 7. 91 
2. no dilution of waste in order to meet the waste 
acceptance criteria shall be permitted either before or 
during the landfill operations 
Article 10 
Waste to be accepted in the different classes of landfill 
Member States shall ensure that: 
1. with the objective of guiding the different types of waste 
to be disposed of to the appropriate class of landfill the 
assessment of the characteristics of the waste with respect 
to landfilling requirements will be made by reference 
to: 
— the origin of the waste, 
— the composition of the waste, 
— the leaching and compatibility characteristics of the 
waste with respect to the eluate and compatibility 
criteria set out in Annex III; 
2. hazardous wastes that fulfil the eluate criteria set out in 
Annex III shall be assigned to a hazardous waste landfill 
unless, if compatible with municipal waste, they are 
assigned to a landfill for municipal and non-hazardous 
wastes and for other compatible wastes; 
3. hazardous wastes not fulfilling the eluate criteria shall be 
treated before disposal in a hazardous waste landfill; 
4. hazardous wastes not fulfilling the eluate criteria set out 
in Annex III and which cannot be treated, or are not 
compatible for joint disposal with municipal waste, or 
any other type of wastes of a precise type, origin or 
composition, can be assigned to a mono-landfill. Specific 
requirements shall be fixed by the competent authority 
for these particular landfills according to the nature of 
the wastes to be deposited; 
5. landfill for municipal, non-hazardous and other 
compatible wastes landfill sites can be used for: 
(a) municipal waste; 
(b) non-hazardous wastes of any other origin; 
(c) liquid wastes and sludges compatible with the 
landfilled wastes and with the operation procedure 
of the site (Annex IV: water balance). Particular 
precautions shall be taken when disposing of liquid 
wastes to prevent the formation of aerosols as well 
as to promote uniform trickling and thus avoid 
the occurrence of preferential paths through the 
landfill; 
(d) any other wastes or mixture of wastes compatible 
with the landfilled wastes, if their joint disposal 
supposes any advantage with respect to waste 
management and environmental protection, due to the beneficial interactive processes that occur 
between the different types of waste when mixed 
(Compatibility criteria: Annex III); 
6. inert waste landfill sites shall be used only for inert waste 
that complies with the criteria set out in Annex III. If 
necessary, in order to meet the criteria, waste with a 
majority of inert components shall be previously sorted 
or treated to separate those components that might 
give rise to any physical, chemical or biological 
transformation. 
Article 11 
Waste acceptance procedures 
Member States shall take measures in order that: 
1. the operator of a landfill shall accept waste only if, before 
or at the time of delivery, the holder can show, by means 
of the appropriate documents, that the waste in question 
can be accepted in that site, according to its class and the 
conditions set in the permit, and that it fulfils the 
acceptance criteria (Annex III); 
2. the operator of a landfill shall be responsible for: 
(a) checking of the waste documentation; 
(b) visual inspection and control of the waste at the 
entrance and at the tipping front; 
(c) the application, if required according to the 
provisions laid down in Annex III, of a sampling and 
analysis programme of the waste delivered. This 
programme can be carried out by an approved 
laboratory contracted by the operator or by the 
operator himself if he possesses adequate and 
approved laboratory facilities; 
(d) keeping a register of the quantities and 
characteristics of the wastes deposited, indicating 
origin, date of delivery, producer, and, in the case of 
hazardous waste, the precise location on the site; 
(e) reporting on a yearly basis to the competent 
authority on the types and quantities of waste 
disposed of and on the results of the control 
programme, as required in this Article and in Annex 
IV; 
3. when the producer or the holder of the waste is a frequent 
user of the landfill, he must reach a written contractual 
agreement with the operator of the site in order to deliver 
his waste to the landfill. The document shall describe the 
general characteristics of the waste delivered; 
4. the operator of the landfill shall always provide written 
justification of each delivery accepted on the site. This 
22. 7. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 190/5 
document can be considered as evidence of the disposal 
of the waste and also as an agreement by single users of 
the landfill; 
5. if waste is not accepted at a landfill the holder shall return 
it to the producer unless another adequate means of 
disposal, complying with all the necessary requirements, 
can be found; 
6. the responsibility for the acceptance of waste on a landfill 
falls upon the site operator. 
Article 12 
Control procedures in operation and aftercare phases 
Member States shall take measures in order that: 
1. the operator of a landfill shall carry out during the 
landfill operation and aftercare phases a control 
programme as specified in Annex IV; 
2. the operator shall notify the competent authority if any 
adverse environmental effects are discovered as a result 
of the control procedures and, in all cases, the operator 
must notify the competent authority of the nature and 
timing of the proposed measures to be taken; 
3. corrective measures shall be taken, at the expense of the 
operator, if adverse environmental effects from the 
landfill operation are discovered. These measures may be 
subject to direction by the competent authority and may 
be carried out by that authority if the operator does not 
carry them out himself; 
4. qualified laboratories responsible for the quality control 
of the analytical operations of the control procedures are 
designated. a closed landfill shall always receive a final cover in order 
to accommodate the site to its future uses and integrate it 
in the surrounding landscape. 
The type and characteristics of the cover to be applied 
shall take into consideration the class of landfill, 
the types of waste deposited and the particular 
characteristics of the site in order to control its further 
development; 
prior to the commencement of the total or partial closure 
of a landfill, the operator shall present to the competent 
authority the information required in Annex II and in 
particular on the measures to be provided for the 
monitoring and control of surface run-off water, gas and 
leachate emissions from the landfill, and for the 
protection and monitoring of groundwater as indicated 
in Annex IV; 
a landfill or part of it may only be considered as definitely 
closed after the competent authority has carried out a 
final on-site inspection and has communicated to the 
operator its permit for the closure; 
after a landfill has been definitively closed, the operator 
shall be in charge of its maintenance, monitoring and 
control in the aftercare phase for a period of 10 years or 
for a shorter period if the competent authority authorizes 
it. 
Article 14 
Civil liability of operator 
The operator shall be liable under civil law for the damage 
and impairment of the environment caused by the landfilled 
waste, irrespective of fault on his part. 
Article 13 
Closure procedure 
Member States shall ensure that: 
1. a landfill or part of it shall start the closure 
procedure: 
(a) when it has reached its capacity, that is, when the 
definitive height of the waste deposited reaches the 
height defined in the landfill project required for the 
permit or expressed in it, or 
(b) by decision of the owner of the site, with the 
authorization of the competent authority, or 
(c) by decision of the competent authority. 
Whatever the case the competent authority has to justify 
its decision; Article IS 
Existing landfill sites 
Member States shall ensure that: 
1. landfills which have been granted a permit, or which are 
already in operation at the time of notification of this 
Directive, may not continue to operate unless they 
comply with the provisions set out in points 2 and 3; 
2. to be able to continue to operate, the operators of the 
sites referred to in point 1 shall apply to the competent 
authority for a confirmation of their permit or, in the 
event that the facility does not comply with the terms of 
this Directive, for the issue of a new or revised permit. 
The competent authority shall not grant the permit 
unless the future operation of the remaining part of the 
site meets the conditions laid down in this Directive; 
No C 190/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 7. 91 
3. within a period of five years after the date of 
implementation of this Directive: 
(a) the operator of a landfill shall, if required, prepare 
and present to the competent authorities, for their 
approval, a conditioning plan for the site supplying 
the information required in Annex II, 
(b) the competent authorities shall consider the demand 
and reach a definite conclusion, 
(c) the operator shall carry out the conditioning plan of 
the site; 
4. if after five years after the date of implementation of this 
Directive there are previously existing landfills which 
do not have a permit for continuing operations, 
the competent authorities shall take the appropriate 
measures for the closure of those sites. 
Article 16 
Cost of the landfill of waste 
Member States shall ensure that the price to be charged for 
the disposal of any type of waste in a landfill shall cover at 
least all the costs involved in the setting up and operation of 
the site, as well as the estimated costs of the closure and 
aftercare of the facility. 
Article 17 
Financial guarantee 
Member States shall ensure that, at the time of receiving a 
permit, the operator provides, by whichever means, a 
financial guarantee or any other equivalent, fixed by the 
competent authority, whose purpose shall be to cover the 
estimated costs of the closure procedures and aftercare 
operations of the landfill. This guarantee shall be kept as long 
as the operator is in charge of the maintenance and aftercare 
operations of the site. 
Article 18 
Landfill aftercare fund 
1. Member States shall ensure the establishment of one or 
more 'Landfill aftercare funds' whose structure is to be fixed 
by the competent authorities. 
2. The purpose of these funds shall be: 
(a) to cover the normal aftercare costs of closed landfills; 
(b) to cover the expenses originated by the operations 
necessary to prevent or cure the damage to the 
environment produced by the disposal of waste in case it 
is not otherwise recoupable or not covered by insurance 
or financial guarantee. 3. The fund shall not cover the costs that can be directly 
charged to the landfill operator as long as he is liable. 
4. The operator of each landfill shall contribute to the 
'Landfill aftercare fund' in the light of the class of landfill and 
of the types and tonnage of the wastes landfilled. The 
financial guarantee set out in Article 17 does not free the 
operator from contribution to the Fund. 
Article 19 
Obligation to report 
1. Each year, and for the first time on , Member 
States shall forward to the Commission a report on the 
landfill of waste containing the information necessary for the 
Commission to evaluate the compliance with the terms of this 
Directive. 
2. On the basis of the report referred to in paragraph 1, 
the Commission shall publish a consolidated report every 
three years, and for the first time on 
Article 20 
Committee 
The amendments necessary for adapting the Annexes to this 
Directive to scientific and technical progress and proposals 
of standardization about control, sampling and analysis 
methods in relation to the landfill of waste, shall be adopted 
in accordance with the following procedure. 
The Commission shall be assisted by a committee composed 
of the representatives of the Member States and chaired by 
the representative of the Commission. 
The representative of the Commission shall submit to the 
committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The 
committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft within a time 
limit which the chairman may lay down according to the 
urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be delivered by the 
majority laid down in Article 148 (2) of the EEC Treaty in the 
case of decisions which the Council is required to adopt 
on a proposal from the Commission. The votes of the 
representatives of the Member States within the committee 
shall be weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The 
chairman shall not vote. 
The Commission shall adopt the measures envisaged if they 
are in accordance with the opinion of the committee. 
If the measures envisaged are not in accordance with the 
opinion of the committee, or if no opinion is delivered, the 
Commission shall, without delay, submit to the Council a 
proposal relating to the measures to be taken. The Council 
shall act by a qualified majority. 
If, on the expiry of a period of three months from the date 
of referral to the Council, the Council has not acted, the 
proposed measures shall be adopted by the Commission. 
22. 7. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 190/7 
Article 21 accompanied by such reference on the occasion of their 
official publication. The procedure for such reference shall 
„ , be adopted by Member States. 
Enforcement 
2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission 
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, the texts of the provisions of national law which they adopt in 
regulations and administrative provisions necessary to the field covered by this Directive, 
comply with this Directive within one year of its notification. 
They shall immediately inform the Commission thereof. 
Article 22 
When Member States adopt these measures, these shall 
contain a reference to this Directive or shall be This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 
ANNEX I 
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL CLASSES OF LANDFILLS 
1. Location 
1.1. The location of a landfill must take into consideration requirements dealing with: 
(a) the distances from the boundary of the site to residential and recreation areas, roads and waterways, 
water bodies and other industrial, agricultural or urban sites; 
(b) the existence of groundwater or nature protection zones in the area; 
(c) the hydrogeological conditions of the area; 
(d) the risk of flooding, subsidence, landslides or avalanches in the site; 
(e) the protection of the natural or cultural patrimony of the area. 
1.2. The landfill can be authorized if the characteristics of the site with respect to the abovementioned 
requirements, or the corrective measures to be taken, when considered in an environmental impact 
assessment in the meaning of Directive 85/337/EEC indicate that the landfill does not pose a serious 
environmental risk. 
2. Roads and service areas 
2.1. Access to a landfill shall be planned in such a way that it creates minimal hindrance to existing public 
roads. 
2.2. The landfill shall be equipped so that dirt originating from the site is not dispersed on to public 
roads. 
2.3 All roads and service areas within the boundary of the landfill must be built and maintained to comply with 
the water control and soil and groundwater protection measures required for the site itself. 
3. Fencing 
3.1. The landfill shall be surrounded by fencing sufficient to prevent free access to the site. The gates shall be 
locked outside operating hours. 
4. Landscaping 
4.1. Measures shall be taken in order to reduce the visual impact of a landfill, in particular when easily visible 
from residential areas, recreation areas and roads. 
No C 190/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 7. 91 
5. Site identification and information 
5.1. At the entrance of a landfill an identification and information board must be provided displaying the 
following information: 
— name and class of the site, 
— name of the owner and/or operator, 
— licensing identification, 
— operating times, 
— contact and emergency telephone numbers, 
— authority responsible for the operating permit and control of the site. 
5.2. The additional information must always be available to the public, on request: 
— types of wastes for which the site has received an operating permit, 
— tariffs to be applied for the depositing of waste on the site. 
6. Control of access and operation 
6.1. An appropriate system for control of access must always be provided at the entrance of the site. 
6.2. All waste delivered shall always be controlled on its 
— origin, 
— type and characteristics, 
— quantity (weight or volume), 
— the appropriate identification documents, if required. 
6.3. During operating hours, a suitably qualified person in charge of the landfill operations must always be 
present 
7. Water control and leachate management 
7.1. Appropriate measures shall be taken in order to control surface- and/or groundwater entering into the 
landfilled waste. 
7.2. All water or leachate emanating from the landfill shall be collected unless, through an environmental 
impact assessment, it is determined that collection is not required. 
7.3. Contaminated water and leachate collected from the landfill shall be treated to the appropriate standard 
required for its discharge. 
8. Protection of soil and groundwater 
8.1. A landfill must meet the necessary conditions, naturally or artifically achieved, to prevent pollution of the 
soil or groundwater. 
8.2. The non-saturated geological formations constituting the substratum of the landfill base and sides shall 
satisfy the following permeability and thickness requirements. 
Maximum values of the permeability coefficient, K (m/s), for a substratum thickness of three metres 
measured under conditions of water saturation: 
— Landfill for hazardous waste: 
K = 1,0 x 10"' m/s, 
— Landfill for municipal and non hazardous wastes and for other compatible wastes: 
K = 1,0 x 10-»m/s, 
— Landfill for inert waste: 
K = no limit value. 
8.3. The method to be used for the determination of the permeability coefficient for landfills, in the field and for 
the whole extension of the site, is to be developed and approved by the committee set up in Article 20 of this 
Directive. 
8.4. Where these conditions, or other equivalent ones, are not met naturally, engineering measures shall be 
taken to achieve at least the same level of safety. 
22. 7. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 190/9 
9. Gas control 
9.1. Appropriate measures shall be taken in order to control the accumulation and migration of landfill gas 
(Annex IV). 
9.2. Landfill gas shall be collected and properly treated and preferably used. This obligation applies to 
biologically active sites receiving or having received more than 10 000 metric tons of wastes per 
annum. 
10. Nuisances 
10.1. Measures shall be taken to prevent nuisances arising from the landfill through: 
— emission of odours and dust, 
— wind blown materials, 
— noise and traffic, 
— birds and vermin, 
— formation of aerosols. 
11. Control of stability 
11.1. To provide for stability of the mass of waste and associated structures, particularly in respect of avoidance 
of slippages, the emplacement of waste on the site shall take place under suitable systems of quality 
assurance. 
ANNEX II 
Basic information to provide in the case of: 
A. The establishment and operation of a landfill 
B. The conditioning plan of an existing landfill 
C. The closing of a landfill 
When applying for a permit, the documents to be presented shall adjust to and focus on the particular situation of 
the site, in function of the alternative (A, B, C) considered. 
The basic information to provide shall be the following: 
1. complete identification of the applicants; 
2. description of the types and quantities of wastes to be deposited (A, B) or that have been deposited (B, 
C); 
3. waste management capacity (daily, monthly, yearly) for which the facility is projected; 
4. report with a comprehensive description of the site including: 
— situation and access, 
— boundaries and topography, 
— geological and hydrological characteristics of the area, 
— local meteorology; 
5. engineering details of the project including the development, conditioning and/or closing of the site: 
— phases of the project, 
— access, fencing and site roads, 
— pollution prevention and abatement methods envisaged, 
— site preparation and provision of services, 
— complementary installations; 
No C 190/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 7. 91 
6. of peration and control plan for the site including: 
— phasing and description of the operations, 
— water, leachate and gas control measures, 
— measures for the control of environmental nuisances, 
— operating times, 
— access control and waste acceptance procedures, 
— equipment to be utilized, 
— personnel list indicating qualifications, duties and responsibilities, 
— monitoring and maintenance procedures, 
— operational and safety rules and emergency procedures; 
7. plan for the closure and aftercare procedures including: 
— final capacity and expected operational period of the facility, 
— final contours and topography of the site, 
— final restoration plan, 
— phases for partial closure and restoration of filled-up areas, 
— aftercare control measures; 
8. environmental impact assessment in the meaning of Directive 85/337/EEC; 
9. economic information on the project including estimations of the initial: 
— capital investment, 
— operational costs, 
— charges. 
Following submission of the application for a permit, the competent authorities: 
(a) may, within a period of three months, ask for additional information, modifications of the project, or for an 
alternative plan; 
(b) shall reach a definite conclusion within a reasonable period. 
ANNEX III 
WASTE ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES 
1. Introduction 
In order to harmonize technical characteristics of landfills it is of great importance that all sites use, if only 
for comparison purposes, the same criteria for the acceptance of waste. This means that homogeneous 
sampling and control procedures will have to be fixed and all wastes be subject to them. 
For the purpose of this Directive waste acceptance criteria and control procedures will be fixed in function 
of the characteristics of the eluate and of the compatibility of different types of waste in the cases of joint 
disposal (eluate and compatibility criteria). 
No matter which are the sampling and analysis methods selected or the parameters to measure, it is to be 
realized that the tests upon which acceptance criteria are based will never reproduce the exact behaviour of 
the wastes in the landfill but they will serve as the measuring stick against which the characteristics of the 
wastes are tested. This means that, in spite of the existence of different sampling and analysis methods, or 
the relative importance granted to different parameters, a common reference method will have to be fixed 
as described in this Annex. 
2. General principle 
All wastes discharged into a landfill will have to be previously characterized according to the requirements 
of this Annex. 
For any waste whose origin is known and whose characteristics and composition are defined, the 
compulsory sampling and analysis can be substituted by a periodical random sampling and analysis 
programme. 
22. 7. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 190/11 
3. Sampling 
Definitions: 
A. Homogeneous waste: 
All types of waste which at the time of sampling, are liquid or can be pumped and whose characteristics 
are the same throughout the whole mass, as well as those wastes whose homogeneity can be visually 
established. 
Heterogeneous waste: 
All other wastes. 
B. Representative sample: 
A sample is to be considered as representative if the small amount of material wheighed out for 
the analyses has the same average composition as the large mass from which it is derived. 
Reference: General guidelines on sampling technology, ISO 5667-2-1988. 
Number of samples and amounts to be taken 
1. For wastes not delivered in containers 
(a) for homogeneous waste: one sample of 1 000 g or ml, per delivery; 
(b) for heterogeneous waste: one representative sample of 1 000 g or ml, per five tons of waste or 
part thereof. 
2. For wastes delivered in containers 
Figures are valid for containers with the same content. The waste is considered homogeneous at the 
time of sampling. If the containers are emptied into a collecting tank, the cumulative sample can be 
taken from the tank. 
Weight per container 
< 5 kg 
> 5 kg Weight and number of containers to be sampled for a laboratory sample 
Sufficient for a cumulative sample of at least 1 kg taken from at 
least x (t) containers 
Sufficient for a cumulative sample of between 1-2,5 kg taken from at 
least x 0) containers 
Where: x = -v/n + 1, n being the total number of containers. 
3. Municipial waste 
It is considered necessary to regularly sample these wastes as there is a need to evaluate the changes 
in composition in order to be able to take appropriate action in advance or as an alternative to 
landfilling, e.g.: prevention of contamination, selective collection, recycling, etc. 
— Waste from households: sampling shall be done at random from all types of origins of the waste 
in order to determine the percentage composition (organics, metals, etc.), calorific value, 
heating residue, etc. 
— If containers appear with unknown types of waste, these shall undergo independent sampling 
as in point 2. 
— Waste from commerce, offices or public institutions shall be described by the producer. 
Analytical testing will be done only to allow a complete evaluation or if the declaration is not 
adequate. 
4. Control procedures: eluate criteria (not to be applied to municipal waste) 
Eluate criteria 
Numerous physico-chemical and biological processes govern the production and composition of landfill 
leachates. In general the composition of leachates will be a function of the types and age of waste deposited, 
the prevailing physico-chemical conditions, the microbiology and the waterbalance of the landfill. 
Although numerous studies have been devoted to the evaluation of the relationship between laboratory 
tests and the fate of leachates, the scarcity of true information in the long term is outlined. Nevertheless, the 
potential to severely affect water resources by leachates exists and should be prevented. The proposed 
eluate tests hereunder, have no other aim other than providing qualitative information on the composition 
of percolating waters and the nature of the mobilized potentially toxic substances. Reference: Etude 
bibliographique sur les lixiviats produits par la mise en decharge de dechets industriels, 4 volumes, 
EEC-XII-ENV/20/86. 
No C 190/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 7. 91 
Treatment of the samples: 
The original structure of the sample used should be maintained as far as possible; large parts should be 
crushed. The proposed analytical method is DIN 38414-S4 (October 1984 issue) with the following 
additions and/or simplifications: 
— a wide-necked glass bottle (10 cm diameter) should be used, 
— shake, rotating bottle by 180° once per minute for 24 hours, 
— centrifuge; 250 ul filter syringes with 0,45 urn filters should be used for sampling. 
Assignment values: 
This table fixes the ranges by which wastes will be characterized for the purpose of landfilling according to 
the composition of their eluates: 
— wastes whose eluate concentration is in the range fixed for hazardous wastes will be considered as such 
with respect to landfilling. 
For eluate concentrations higher than the maximum values fixed, hazardous wastes will have to be 
treated prior to landfill, unless compatible for joint disposal with municipal waste, or, if treatment is 
not possible, destinated to a mono-landfill, 
— wastes whose eluate concentration is not above the maximum values fixed for inert wastes will be 
considered as such, 
— wastes whose eluate concentration falls in the range between inert wastes and the minimum value for 
hazardous wastes will be considered non-hazardous. 
1.01 
1.02 
1.03 
1.04 
1.05 
1.06 
1.07 
1.08 
1.09 
1.10 
1.11 
1.12 
1.13 
1.14 
1.15 
1.16 
1.17 
1.18 
1.19 
1.20 
1.21 pH value 
TOC 
arsenic 
lead 
cadmium 
chromium 
copper 
nickel 
mercury 
zinc 
phenols 
fluoride 
ammonium 
chloride 
cyanide (2) 
sulphate (3) 
nitrite 
AOX (4) 
solvents (5) 
pesticides (5) 
lipoph. sub. Hazardous waste range 
4—13 
40—200 mg/1 
0,2—l,0mg/l 
0,4—2,0 mg/1 
0,1—0,5 mg/1 
0,1—0,5 mg/1 
2—10 mg/1 
0,4—2,0 mg/1 
0,02—0,1 mg/1 
2—10 mg/1 
20—100 mg/1 
10—50 mg/1 
0,2—1,0 mg/1 
1,2—6,0 g/1 
0,2—1,0 mg/1 
0,2-1,0 g/1 
6—30 mg/1 
0,6—3,0 mg/1 
0,02—0,10 mgCI/1 
1—5ugCl/l 
0,4—2,0 mg/1 Inert waste 
4—13 
<200 mg/1 
<0,1 mg/1 
" 
the total of these 
metals: < 5 mh/1 (J) 
< 10 mg/1 
< 5 mg/1 
< 50 mg/1 
< 0,5 g/1 
< 0,1 mg/1 
< 1,0 g/1 
< 3 mg/1 
< 0,3 mg/1 
< 10 ug Cl/1 
< 0,5 ug Cl/1 
< 1 mg/1 
(') And no single value above the minimum fixed for hazardous waste. 
(2) Readily released. 
(3) If possible < 500 mg/1. 
(•*) Adsorbed organically-bound halogens. 
(s) Chlorinated. 
1. For characterization purposes the components to be analysed in the eluates shall be chosen in function 
of the qualitative composition of the waste. 
2. In addition to these eluate criteria, a determination of asbestos on a representative sample of the crude 
inert waste shall be performed, according to the annexes of the Council Directive 87/217/EEC on the 
prevention and reduction of environmental pollution by asbestos. 
22. 7. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 190/13 
5. Analytical methods 
The following ISO or DIN methods are proposed as reference methods. Any equivalent method after a 
certification procedure based on the use of a certified reference material will be accepted. In case of 
discrepancy of the results the proposed methods will be used as reference. 
1.01 
1.02 
1.03 
1.04 
1.05 
1.06 
1.07 
1.08 
1.09 
1.10 
1.11 
1.12 
1.13 
1.14 
1.15 
1.16 
1.17 
1.18 
1.19 
1.20 
1.21 pH 
TOC in eluate 
arsenic 
lead 
cadmium 
chromium VI 
copper 
nickel 
mercury 
zinc 
phenols 
fluoride 
ammonium 
chloride 
cyanide 
sulphate 
nitrite 
AOX 
chlorinated solvents (*) 
chlorinated pesticides (2) 
extractible lip. substances (3) ISO-DP 10 523 or DIN 38404-C5-84, 
DIN 38409-H3-85, 
ISO 6595-1982 or DIN 38405-E6-81, 
ISO 8288-1985 or DIN 38406-E6-81, 
ISO 8288-1985 or DIN 38406-E19-80, 
ISO-DIS 9174-88 or DIN 38405-D24-87, 
ISO 8288-1985 or DIN 38406-E21-80, 
ISO 8288-1985 or DIN 38406-E21-80, 
ISO 5666-1/3-88 or DIN 38406-E12-80, 
ISO 8288-1985 or DIN 3840-E8-85, 
ISO 6439-1990 or DIN 38409-H16-84, 
ISO-DP 10 359-1 or DIN 38406-D4-85, 
ISO 7150-1983 or DIN 38406-E5-83, 
ISO-DIS 9297 or DIN 38405-D1-85, 
DIN 38405-D14-88, 
ISO-DIS 9280-1 or DIN 38405-D5-85, 
ISO 6777-1983 or DIN 38405-D10-81, 
ISO-DIS 9562 or DIN 38409-H14-85, 
ISO-DP 10 301 or GC head-space 
G.C. (capillary column) 
cf. param. 27, Directive 80/778/EEC 
(') Needs 2 ml of eluate. 
(2) After extraction of 1 litre of eluate. 
(3) Needs 250 ml of eluate; chlorofrom extract, results in 'dry residue' mg/1. 
6. Control procedures: compatibility criteria 
Joint-disposal of waste normally utilizes properties available in municipal waste to attenuate those 
constituents in difficult wastes which are polluting and potentially hazardous and thereby make their 
impact on the environment acceptable. Wastes destined for joint-disposal must be critically assessed and 
only those wastes which are compatible with mubicipal waste should be accepted for joint-disposal. The 
maintenance of a balanced input of wastes to ensure thai the attenuation processes are not overwhelmed is 
essential: controlling the rate input of hazardous wastes is therefore always necessary. 
6.1. General criteria — Prerequisite conditions 
Sites which would pose a direct threat to a sensitive aquifer in the event of containment failure shall not be 
used for joint-disposal. The acceptability of joint-disposal in any given location shall be determined by the 
competent authority, in accordance with the requirements of Annex I to this Directive. 
6.2. Leachate monitoring — Prerequisite conditions 
— Sufficient historic data must be available to provide a clear definition of leachate levels and quality 
within the refuse mass. 
— Specific measures for joint-disposal shall be set by the competent authority subject to the control 
requirements fixed in Annex IV and to the compatibility criteria fixed hereunder. The number of 
monitoring points in landfills where joint-disposal is practised shall be the following in function of the 
surface area of the operating zone: 
— <5 ha = minimum 5, 
— 5—10 ha = one per hectare, 
— >10 = 10 ha + (area, ha)1'2. 
No C 190/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 7. 91 
— Joint-disposal shall not be undertaken unless monitoring shows clearly that stable methanogenic 
conditions are established and that a sufficient high level of activity continues. This will be determined 
by reference to leachate quality and gas production rate, and the following minimum conditions shall be 
maintained: 
— average leachate temperature: s25 °C, 
— average leachate pH: >6,8, 
— average leachate BOD/COD ratio: ^0,3, 
— gas production rate: >5 m3/t.a. 
— There shall be a system for collection and removal from site of any surplus leachate. This shall be sized 
on the basic of agreed water balance calculations, taking into account both infiltrating rainfall and the 
liquid content of the landfilled wastes. 
6.3. Suitable and unsuitable wastes 
6.3.1. The following wastes shall not be joindy disposed: 
— wastes mentioned in Article 9 of the Directive 
— acid tars 
— immiscible organic solvents or aqueous waste containing > 1 % immiscible organics 
— water miscible organic solvents with concentrations >10% 
— wastes which react violently with water or organic matter 
— asbestos (J) 
— wastes containing significant concentrations (2) of following compounds: 
— PCBs & PCTs (polychlorinated bi-and terphenyls) >50 ppb (3) 
— TCDDs (telrachlorodibenzodioxin) >10 ppb for isomer 2, 3, 7, 8 
— PCNs (polychlorinated naphtalenes) >50 ppm total (4) 
— PAH (polyaromatic hydrocarbons) >20 ppm 
— organometallic compounds (totally excluded) 
— chlorinated hydrocarbons (including chlorophenols) > 1 ppm 
— pesticides >2 ppm 
— free cyanides > 10 ppm. 
6.3.2. The following wastes (5) may be jointly-disposed, subject to individual assessment and loading rate 
restrictions on specific components: 
— industrial effluent treatment sludges 
— biological treatment sludges 
— acid sludges, 
— interceptor wastes and tank sludges 
— paint wastes and spray booth effluents 
— alkaline degreasants 
— detergents, fats and greases in water 
— adhesive wastes 
— tannery and fellmongering wastes 
— brewery wastes 
— animal and food industry wastes 
— metal finishing wastes 
— acids /alkalis 
— cutting oils/cooling oils 
(') Excluded because of the risks posed by excavation during joint-disposal. 
(a) The 'significant concentration' figures are extracted from EEC^ directives for PCBs and PCTs; from WHO proposals for TCDDs 
and organometallic compounds; from the Dutch legislation (Bodemverontreiniging — Toetsingswaarden voor de beoordeling 
van de concentratieniveaus van diverse verontreinigingen) for PCNs, PAHs, chlorinated hydrocarbons, pesticides and free 
cyanides. This values should be revised by a special Committee. 
(3) Part per billion, or ug/kg on dry extraa, etc. 
(4) Part per million, or mg/kg on dry extraa, etc. 
(s) The list is not exhaustive, but based on types of wastes which have been successfully jointly asposed in several landfills (aqueous 
solutions excluded!). 
22. 7. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 190/15 
6.4. Loading rates 
For hazardous wastes to be jointly disposed with municipal waste, their rate of deposition will be limited by 
the attenuation capacity of the accepting bulk of municipal waste. Although general guidelines can be 
given, the loading inevitably will be sit specific. Effective monitoring of the conditions in the landfill 
provide the best guidance for setting appropriate loading rates. 
Loading rales ar normally quoted as a quantity of hazardous waste which may be deposited either in a given 
period (eg. as per m3 of municipal waste per day), or related with a given quantity of the accepting bulk (eg. 
as g per m3 of municipal waste) for a once-only base filling. This is the loading or rate which could be 
degraded or attenuated by a unit volume (*) of methanogenic refuse. The landfill loading potential should 
then be applied to the reaction zone volume to derive a total loading limit for the site. 
The loading rate controls shall apply to wastes containing: acids, heavy metals, cyanides, suluble organic 
carbon, phenols and other prescribed organic compounds. Ammonia and chloride inputs shall also be 
assessed, on the basis that all of the applied loading will appear in the leachate. Applied loadings must not 
lead to the capacity of leachate treatment and disposal systems being exceeded. 
Default values (as mentioned in the criteria values given hereunder) are to be applied for the calculation of 
the maximum landfill loading potential, unless site/ waste-specific data submitted by the operator justify 
higher loadings. 
Criteria for calculating landfill potentials 
Waste component 
acids (*) 
heavy metals (2) (3) 
Zn 
Cu 
Ni 
Cr 
Pb 
Cd 
Hg 
As, Se 
cyanide ( 
phenol asCN) 
oil / hydrocarbons 
TOC 
specified organics (4) Default value 
100 equiv./tonne of municipal waste 
100 g/tonne of municipal waste 
100 g/ tonne of municipal waste 
100 g/tonne of municipal waste 
100 g/tonne of municipal waste 
100 g/tonne of municipal waste 
100 g/tonne of municipal waste 
10 g/tonne of municipal waste 
2 g/tonne of municipal waste 
1 g/tonne of municipal waste 
1 g/m3 of municipal waste, per day (5) 
5 g/m3 of municipal waste, per day (s) 
2,5 kg/tonne of municipal waste 
10 g/m3 of municipal waste, per day (7) 
10 g/m3 of municipal waste, per day 
(1) Loadings to be calculated on a once-only basis, unless site monitoring in reaction zone demonstrates regeneration 
of butter capacity. Acids shall be deposited in a separate area from wastes containing cyanide or sulphide. 
(2) Loadings to be calculated on a once-only basis. A prior precipitation test shall be applied to any waste containing 
>100 mg/1 soluble heavy metals. This should consist of a pH adjustment to 10,5, mixing for five minutes, 
followed by settlement for 30 minutes. If the soluble metal content then exceeds 20 mg/1 the waste shall not be 
jointly disposed unless the operator can provide practical evidence to show its attenuations in refuse. 
(3) The maximum default value for the total of heavy metals shall not surpass the 100 g/tonne of municipal 
waste. 
{*) Organic compounds of List 1 from the Directive 80/68/EEC on groundwater. 
(5) Unless site/waste-specific data on particular wastes show them to be completely degraded. No waste containing 
> mg/1 as soluble CN shall be jointly disposed. 
(*) Unless site monitoring shows the reaction zone ability to degrade completely the phenols. 
(7) Unless specific data on particular wastes show them to be highly degradable. 
(') The reaction zone volume is that portion of leachate-saiurated refuse with which the jointly-disposed waste will come into 
contact either directly or during leachate recirculation. The reaction zone must provide an average retention time of at least six 
months for applied liquid wastes and for leachate from jointly disposed solid hazardous waste. 
No C 190/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 7. 91 
6.5. Monitoring adherence to hading controls 
For acids, heavy metals, TOC, oil, phenols, cyanide, ammonia and chloride, control shall be based on 
retrospective analysis of composite samples from all inputs. The frequency of such analysis shall be related 
to the hydraulic retention time (HRT) in the reaction zone, as follows: 
— HRT > 12 months, analyse monthly, 
— HRT < 12 months, analyse 2-weekly. 
The leachate monitoring regime shall be prescribed in the site permit to be sufficiently detailed as to detect 
any effects which would indicate overloading of the reaction zone. This would include both detection of 
residual waste components and interference with the established methanogenic processes. 
6.6. Hazardous solid wastes 
A composite sample between 1 and 2,5 kg shall be prepared by mixing 1 kg subsamples from each load of 
hazardous solid waste. The composite shall then be subjected to a leaching test as described in HI.4. The 
eluate shall then be analyzed for all parameters listed in the table of § 6.4 (including specified organics). 
Loadings to the site shall then be assessed on the basis of the mass of readly soluble components. The 
frequency of analysis shall be related to the hydraulic retention time as given in § 6.5. 
7. Intercalibration 
The qualified laboratories as designated in Article 12 (4) of this Directive shall participate periodically in 
intercalibration exercises in order to update and improve the accuracy and precision of the control 
procedures and analytical methods. 
ANNEX IV 
CONTROL PROCEDURES IN OPERATION AND AFTER-CARE PHASES 
Measuring Programme 
This minimum programme shall be carried out during the operational phase as an aid in the general management of 
the landfill, and during the after care phase for a minimum of 30 years after the definitive closure to prevent further 
damage to the landfill body or to the environment and to ensure that the site remains safe. The data obtained during 
long periods of time and for different sites will contribute to increase the knowledge on waste, behaviour in 
landfills. 
1. Meteorological data 
In situ, or from the nearest station providing data representative of the site (*). 
1.1 
1.2 
1.3 
1.4 
1.5 Volume and intensity of precipitation 
Temperature (min., max., 
14.00 h CET) 
Direction and force 
of prevalent wind 
Evaporation (lysimeter) (*) 
Atmospheric humidity (14.00 h CET) Operating phase 
daily 
daily 
daily 
daily 
daily After-care phase 
monthly on the 
• same day 
of the month 
(') Or by measuring parameter 1.5 and calculation of evaporation according to Haude. 
(l) Parameters 1.1 to 1.5 can be replaced by the 'effective rainfall*, provided by some local network. 
22. 7. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 190/17 
2. Emission data: water, leachate and gas control 
Sampling. For leachate and runoff water, a 10 litre global sample, representative of the average 
composition, should be available each month for monitoring. Reference: General guidelines on sampling 
technology, ISO 5667-2 (1988). 
2.1 
2.2 
2.3 
2.4 Leachate volume 
Leachate 
composition (*) 
Surface runoff water 
composition 
Gas emissions 
(CH4, C02, 02, H2S, H2 etc.) Operating phase 
daily sum value 
monthly (2) 
monthly (2) 
monthly (2) (3) After-care phase 
every 6 months 
every 6 months 
every 6 months 
every 6 months idem (4) 
(') The parameters to be measured and the substances to be analyzed vary according to the composition of the waste 
deposited; they must be laid down in the permit document and correlated to the eluate criteria of the landfilled wastes. 
Those chosen for the leachate should be such that estimates of the influence of the leachate on the barrier at the base of 
the landfill can be made from the annual evaluations. 
(2) The measures and analysis shall be carried out at least once a month during the first year of operation. If the evaluation 
of data indicates that longer intervals are equally effective, they may be increased to a maximum of three months. 
Conductivity must always be measured at least once a month. 
(3) CH«, C02, 02 regularly; other gases as required, according to the composition of the waste deposited. 
(*) Efficiency of the gas drainage layer must be checked regularly. 
3. Protection of groundwater 
A. Sampling 
The number and location of the groundwater measuring points shall be laid down in the permit document; 
at least one measuring point shall be set up in the groundwater inflow region (0 level) and two in the outflow 
region. Reference value before starting in operation: A complete analysis, to be used as initial reference 
value, should be carried out at least at three locations. Reference: Sampling Groundwaters, Project for an 
international norm, draft. ISO/TC 147 SC6, 1988. 
B. Monitoring 
The substances to be analyzed shall be laid dowrftm the basis of the leachate composition determined in the 
operating phase. Special surveillance shall be made on the concentrations of the substances taken into 
account in the annex (lists 1 and 2) of Council Directive 80/68/EEC on the protection of groundwater 
against pollution caused by certain dangerous substances. 
For the substances of list 2 of Council Directive 80/68/EEC, and for groundwaters in use or usable as 
sources of drinkwater, the MAC values shall be those given in Council Directive 80/778/EEC on water for 
human consumption and the analytical methods, those proposed in the Annexes of the Directive. 
Levels of groundwater 
Groundwater composition Operating phase 
every 6 months (J) 
every 6 months After-care phase 
every 6 months 
every 6 months 
(') If there are weaving groundwater levels the intervalls shall be decreased. 
For continuous monitoring, tracer parameters or components can be used, decided in function of the 
original characteristics of the groundwater (0 level) and of the composition of the leachate. 
No C 190/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 7. 91 
4. Waterbalance 
Although the calculation of the water balance only has a theoretical value, it can be often a very convenient 
parameter for practical management purposes, during the operating phase. Frequency: twice a year 
(April—October). The measurement of parameters 1.1 to 1.5 (meteorological data), combined with the 
measurement of parameter 2.1 (leachate volume, in emission data), permits the estimation of the annual 
water balance in the landfill. A convenient calculation method for a landfill in operation phase could 
be: 
L0 = 1-E-aW 
with, 
L0 = free leachate retained at the site (equivalent to leachate production minus leachate leaving the site), in 
m3/ annum; 
1 = total liquid input (precipitation plus liquid waste, plus any surface water inflow], in m3/annum; 
E = evapotranspirative losses (evaporation plus minimal transpiration), in m3/annum; 
a = absorptive capacity (') of the waste, in m3/tonne of waste received; 
W = weight of waste deposited, in tonnes/annum. 
The effectiveness of the attenuating mechanisms in reducing pollution risks to an acceptable level both 
within the landfill and in the underlying strata, implies theoretically that the site is operated so that L0 is 
negative or zero. An increasing positive value for L0 implies leachate build-up in the site. 
5. Topography of the site: data on the landfill body 
5.1. 
5.2. Structure and composition of landfill body (') 
Settling behaviour of the level of the landfill body Operating phase 
yearly 
yearly After-care phase 
yearly reading 
(*) Data for the status plan of the concerned landfill: surface occupied by waste, volume and composition of waste, 
methods of depositing, time and duration of depositing, proof of stability of the body of the landfill, calculation of the 
depositing capacity still available at the landfill. 
(*) Absorptive capacity: The maximum amount of liquid taken up and retained by unit weight of solid under specified 
conditions; usually the amount of liquid retained by unit weight of refuse in a landfill before leachate is emitted (or 
practically the residual humidity at the time of sampling).