WRITTEN QUESTION E-1458/01 by Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE) and Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Biological teatment of biodegradable waste.
Date: 2001-05-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, United Kingdom, biodegradability, waste management

C 364 E/118

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 2001)

The Commission draws the attention of the Honourable Member to the comprehensive information
provided in February for the purposes of the most recent discharge procedure which related to the 1999
Budget. Naturally, this information will be updated for the next discharge procedure.

In the follow-up to the budget discharge for 1999, the Commission stated that it would annually inform
the discharge authority of all completed investigations which involve (cid:145)whistleblowing(cid:146) and would give
details, inter alia, of any follow-up action taken, including the launching of administrative or disciplinary
proceedings and measures taken to protect the legal position of the whistleblower in question.

(2001/C 364 E/130)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1458/01

by Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE)
and Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 May 2001)

Subject: Biological teatment of biodegradable waste

The practice of shredding solid biodegradable waste via food disposal units, with a view to evacuating it
via the sewer, is widely used in the UK as well as for example in the USA.

Does the Commission accept that its proposals on this subject must pursue an integrated policy for waste
management, permitting various processes rather than specifying composting as the sole way to manage
food waste?

Does the Commission agree that banning one particular method of dealing with food waste, in defiance of
national experience and in the absence of compelling and accepted scientific evidence in support of such
a ban, would be inconsistent with the principle of subsidiarity?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(18 July 2001)

The prudent use of resources is an obligation arising out of the EC Treaty (Article 174, ex-Article 130a).
Drinkable water is a very precious and limited resource that should be used with moderation and without
wastage. Food waste disposal units are electrical devices normally installed under a kitchen sink and used
to grind food waste with a view to evacuating it via the sewer. Drinkable water is normally used to carry
the ground waste through the sewer to the wastewater treatment station.

The working document on the biological treatment of biodegradable waste (second draft of February 2001)
elaborated by the Directorate general Environment for discussion with all relevant stakeholders suggests
that the use of food waste disposal units should be limited. The Commission has so far taken no decision
on restricting the use of food disposal units in the Community. Furthermore, the Commission has not
specified composting as the sole way to manage food waste.

However, with regard to food waste disposal units, the following aspects deserve attention, especially with
regard to an integrated waste management policy:

(cid:129) Sewers are generally not engineered to carry solid waste and high density waste may slow down

wastewater and cause pipe clogging;

(cid:129) Solid waste in wastewater increases the energy demand at the wastewater treatment station in order to

reduce the additional pollution provoked by solid waste;

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/119

(cid:129) Sewage sludge production would be increased by 10 to 40 % because of solid waste in waste waters.
Only 30 to 40 % of sewage sludge is used on land as fertiliser in the Community. The rest is either
landfilled or incinerated. Moreover, sewage sludge is normally much more contaminated by heavy
metals than compost from source separation of food waste;

(cid:129) Urban waste water treatment plants are not built

in order to deal with solid waste but with
wastewater. Concerning the implementation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/
EEC of 21 May 1991 (1), Member States and local authorities have already made their investments,
which are based on wastewater volumes that do not include food waste.

(1) OJ L 135, 30.5.1991.

(2001/C 364 E/131)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1461/01

by Marjo Matikainen-Kallstr(cid:246)m (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 May 2001)

Subject: Funding earmarked for nuclear energy research in the Sixth framework programme for research

The budget of the Sixth framework programme for research is due to grow by 17 % compared with the
it is intended that Euratom(cid:146)s share of the Sixth
Fifth framework programme for research. However,
framework programme will be reduced by 2,5 % compared with the Fifth framework programme.

Bearing in mind the growing importance of nuclear energy for an overall solution to the energy question
in Europe, what is the Commission(cid:146)s reason for such a marked reduction in the resources for research into
nuclear energy?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(1 August 2001)

for research (1) have been
The Commission(cid:146)s proposals for the next
substantially restructured in comparison with the previous ones in order to make a reality of the European
research area.

framework programmes (FP)

One of the main principles of the proposals is concentration on a selected number of priority research
areas in which Community action can add the greatest possible value.

As regards research in the fields of nuclear waste treatment and storage, radiation protection and
innovative concepts for new and safer processes of exploitation of nuclear energy, the level of Community
funding remains as a whole roughly unchanged. The focus on nuclear waste should allow to assemble
research efforts in the Community into a critical mass and to provide a common basis of knowledge
available to waste management organisations.

The budget for fusion research was reduced from € 788 million in the Fifth framework programme on
Research and Technological Development of the Community to € 700 million. The Commission proposal
confirms the reactor orientation of the fusion energy research and reinforces the co-ordination at European
level in the framework of the European Research Area. It gives a high priority to the realisation of the
Next Step in the context of the international co-operation on the International Thermonuclear Energy
Reactor (ITER) project and to the common use of the Joint European Torus (JET) Facilities. It emphasises
Community support to multilateral projects with european added value and anticipates that Member States
will bear a larger fraction of the programmes carried out at the national level by the associations.