Press Release: Environment: Commission sends final warning to Spain over illegal landfills

The European Commission sent Spain a final written warning for poor application of EU legislation on the treatment of waste. Spain still needs to close and restore 87 illegal landfills which are receiving 660,000 tonnes of waste per year. In addition, a large number of illegal landfills that have been closed need to be restored. This final warning follows an initial warning sent in March last year about the existence and operation of illegal and uncontrolled landfill sites in the country. The Commission's action is the result of a lengthy appraisal of Member States' compliance with the waste directive. The directive oversees the operation of landfill sites, and is vital in protecting human health and the environment against potential hazards caused by waste.