Flemish ELFM Consortium
Published on 20 December 2018
Belgium
Prov. Antwerpen
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
In 2008, the Commission adopted the Raw Materials Initiative for a strategy facilitating the access to raw materials in the EU. To ensure the resource efficiency and supply of "secondary raw materials" through recycling, Enhanced Landfill Mining (ELFM) is one method to bring back the latter into the economy.
ELFM is defined as “safe exploration, excavation and integrated valorisation of landfilled waste streams as materials and energy, using innovative transformation technologies and respecting the most stringent social and ecological criteria.” Thus, ELFM is part of a wider view on circular economy. The consortium was established to spread and investigate this way of dealing with a landfill. It grew into its current form: EURELCO.
Objectives and implementation: sharing information on the current state of the art and future potential of Enhanced Landfill Mining projects and programmes in the EU; initiate pilot ELFM-projects; analyses national and EU Landfill and Waste/Materials Management legislation; developing suggestions for improved legislation frameworks and economic incentives in favor of ELFM
Main stakeholders and beneficiaries of the current EURELCO network are: research organisations; UK, German, Belgian and Austrian universities; landfilloperators; Recycling industries and governmental agencies.
ELFM is defined as “safe exploration, excavation and integrated valorisation of landfilled waste streams as materials and energy, using innovative transformation technologies and respecting the most stringent social and ecological criteria.” Thus, ELFM is part of a wider view on circular economy. The consortium was established to spread and investigate this way of dealing with a landfill. It grew into its current form: EURELCO.
Objectives and implementation: sharing information on the current state of the art and future potential of Enhanced Landfill Mining projects and programmes in the EU; initiate pilot ELFM-projects; analyses national and EU Landfill and Waste/Materials Management legislation; developing suggestions for improved legislation frameworks and economic incentives in favor of ELFM
Main stakeholders and beneficiaries of the current EURELCO network are: research organisations; UK, German, Belgian and Austrian universities; landfilloperators; Recycling industries and governmental agencies.
Resources needed
There are not many resources needed. No financial resources are needed. With regards to human resources the time of relevant people to attend meetings and to increase open communication has to be counted.
Evidence of success
Steadily growing network: originating from the small Flemish consortium, the EURELCO network currently has 61 members in 15 European countries;
Cooperation between network partners is increasing - i.e. resulting in EU-Interreg projects and international symposia to exchange knowledge;
Tangible results: eg. Flemish government developed a consistent policy about sustainable old landfill management;
Cooperation between network partners is increasing - i.e. resulting in EU-Interreg projects and international symposia to exchange knowledge;
Tangible results: eg. Flemish government developed a consistent policy about sustainable old landfill management;
Potential for learning or transfer
The most important target of the network is making non-member states aware of the benefits of dealing with old landfills properly. Information the network distributes on ELFM concerns:
- policies;
- avoiding pollution and health risks to the people living close by and the environment;
- managing and mapping the landfill content as a future buffer for certain materials, e.g. in times of geopolitical tensions;
- harmless landfills could provide new space to build on or act as provider of ecosystem services.
- policies;
- avoiding pollution and health risks to the people living close by and the environment;
- managing and mapping the landfill content as a future buffer for certain materials, e.g. in times of geopolitical tensions;
- harmless landfills could provide new space to build on or act as provider of ecosystem services.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
OVAM - Public Waste Agency of Flanders
Belgium
Prov. Antwerpen
Contact
Project coordinator