Meacher steps up opposition to landfill Directive targets

The UK has stepped up its opposition to targets for reducing landfilling of biodegradable waste in the proposed EC Directive on landfills - and in the process sent some distinctly chilly signals to the waste-to-energy incineration lobby. Its position appears to be winning little support among other northern European countries - but the UK is now backing other features of the Directive, including a proposed ban on co-disposal, and is hoping to win trade-offs in Council negotiations.