Waste Management Written Law (Statutes) Around The Globe

Almost all the countries in this world has their own legislative frameworks in managing solid waste. For instance, in United Kingdom (UK), waste legislation are derived mostly from European Union governance and transposed into UK law, in their local statutes, such as Environment Act 1995, and Animal By-Products Regulations (ABPR). In United States, among the relevant statutes are Medical Waste Tracking Act, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Besides Federal statutes, they are also having respective States laws, such as  California Electronic Waste Recycling Act 2003.
     In Republic of Macedonia, they are having Gazette No. 6/2004 on laws relating to waste management, that includes, inter alia, EC Directive 2006/12/EC on waste, EC Directive 91/689/EEC on hazardous waste, EC Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste, Environmental Protection Act 1990, Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994, Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005, List of Wastes (England) Regulations 2005, and Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2007.

     In Japan, the relevant legislation is Law No. 137 of 1970 (on waste management and public cleansing). In China, a landmark of environmental law was introduced in 1979 by the enactment of the Environmental Protection Law 1979, and followed by Marine Environmental Protection Law 1982, Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law and the Forest Law 1984, Grassland Law 1985, and the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law 1987. In Australia, the main set of waste management statutes are Environmental Protection Act 1994, Environmental Protection (Waste Management) Regulations 2000, and  Environmental Protection (Waste Management) Policy 2000. In India, the main statues is the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, and followed by several Rules such as Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1998, Municipal Solid Waste ((Management and Handling) Rules 2000, Plastic Waste ((Management and Handling) Rules 2001, E-Waste ((Management and Handling) Rules 2011. For South Africa, they has introduced a specific statute known as National Environmental Management Waste Act 2009. Brazil government has also introduced  National Solid Waste Policy (Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos; Law No. 12.305. Not to forget Canada, with Canadian Environmental Protection Act 1999. Bhutan has its own laws on the same matter, i.e. Waste Prevention and Management Act of Bhutan 2009. Nigerian government also has a federal statute known as Federal Environmental Protection Agency Act of 1988, and several Regulations made thereunder, such as National Environmental Protection (Effluent Limitation) Regulations, National Environmental Protection (Pollution Abatement in Industries and Facilities Generating Wastes) Regulations, and National Environmental Protection (Management of Solid and Hazardous Wastes) Regulations. Two other relevant statutes in Nigeria are Environmental Impact Assessment Act of 1992 and Harmful Wastes (Special Criminal Provisions etc.) Act 1988.

     In Malaysia, besides general statutes relating to environment protection, known as Environmental Quality Act 1974, the federal government has also introduced a special statute specifically dealing with waste management, i.e. Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007. There are a set of specific Rules and Regulations made thereunder, i.e. Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management (Prescribed Solid Waste Management Facilities and Approval for the Construction, Alteration and Closure of Facilities) Regulations 2011, Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management (Licensing) (Undertaking or Provision of Collection Services for Household Solid Waste, Public Solid Waste, Public Institutional Solid Waste and Solid Waste Similar to Household Solid Waste) Regulations 2011, Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management (Licensing) (Management or Operation of Prescribed Solid Waste Management Facilities) Regulations 2011, Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management (Licensing) (Undertaking or Provision of Transportation Services by Long Haulage) Regulations 2011, Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management (Licensing) (Undertaking or Provision of Public Cleansing Management Services) Regulations 2011, and Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management (Scheme for Household Solid Waste and Solid Waste Similar to Household Solid Waste) Regulations 2011.