The overall objective of SUFALNET (Sustainable Use of Former and Abandoned Landfills Network) is to reduce environmental risks relating to, and to stimulate, the re-use of closed landfills. This was to be achieved through the exchange and dissemination of policies, projects and instruments.
SUFALNET aimed to identify and bring together expertise and best practice surrounding closed landfills. The Network also wished to promote the joint development of policy programmes available across Europe on examination techniques for closed landfills, the redevelopment and aftercare of landfills, such that closed landfills are better managed in the future and can contribute to a developed environment.
In this way, EU Member States can combine forces to deal effectively with environmental risks posed by these former and closed landfills. It will also help them to find new uses for these landfills, thus increasing the efficient use of building space. The general public and all stakeholders will be informed of the outputs from the Network in an attempt to change the current negative image of closed landfills. SUFALNET aimed to get the issue of closed landfills further up the European agenda by promoting activities relating to landfills where Network outputs were available using communication channels like newsletters, brochure and website.
The Network, which was only open to public authorities and private sector “arms length” companies formed by public authorities, was formed in late 2004 through an Internet communicated “Call for Partners” from the Nord Brabant Region of Holland. Those who answered the call were invited to an exploratory meeting in Hertogenbosch, Holland in September 2004 where corporate profiles were presented and audited. All potential partners signed a “Co-financing Statement” and a “Letter of Agreement” which were then submitted along with the Network Application to the Secretariat of INTERREG IIIC in Lille, France in early 2005. The Network which lasted for three years (2005/2006/2007) also used the exploratory meeting to establish four Network Components managed by “Responsible Partners”. The Components are:
“Responsible Partners” for each Component were agreed and appointed in “shadow” status at the exploratory meeting. The “Responsible Partners” agreed to report in turn to the “Lead Partner” which is the Nord Brabant Region of Holland. “Responsible Partners” agreed to organise six Seminars during the lifetime of the Network where technical contributions from “Participating Partners” to the working in each Component were continually audited through e-based communication with the “Responsible Partner” and by all Partners at each Seminar. Wherever a Seminar was organised across Europe, other interested local stakeholders were invited to participate from within the host country. Impetus which naturally existed across the Network was also maintained by twice yearly reporting by the Lead Partner to the Secretariat of INTERREG IIIC at Lille in France.
The initiative was delivered by the various Partners providing technical papers and research outcomes to the “Responsible Partner” for each Component. The Partners approached the issues of how to deal with former landfill sites from many different angles including land use, contaminated land and sustainability in order to provide a fully balanced approach to the work of the Network. Ideas were shared at the “Seminars” and electronically through a “Digital Office” with outputs appearing on the web site. An end of Network Report was presented at the final Seminar, held in Brussels in the autumn of 2007. You can read about that presentation, here (PDF 173Kb).
As indicated earlier, the Network was managed internally through the four “Responsible Partners” and the “Lead Partner”. In turn the “Lead Partner” reported externally to INTERREG IIIC and was audited by them. INTERREG IIIC, when approving the initial Network Application, ensured that the work proposed complemented other E.U. funded Network working. The outputs from the Network were audited against the criteria submitted in the original application which also received approval.
The scheme was funded by € 788 650 from the European Union Research and Development Fund.
Total costs had to be “match funded” by the Participating and Responsible Partners according to the Objective One or Two status that exists in the Region the “Partner” comes from.
The website was established by and is managed by the Northtown Technology Park from Vilnius in Lithuania. This is funded from Component One of the Network.
The website allows technical papers contributed at Seminars and Seminar Reports to be posted.
Currently, there are no strategic national proposals within the United Kingdom to establish sustainable uses for former and abandoned landfill sites. Closed landfill sites are often seen by local communities as not being a resource where, because of differing pressures on land use across the E.U., different Member Nations are at different stages in finding solutions for closed landfills. The Network aimed to capitalise on the knowledge which already existed in different Member Nations and also influence future E.U Directives expected to deal with closed landfills. It was expected that a new structured approach would feed down to the different regions in Member States. Currently, within the United Kingdom, individual closed landfill sites are only put into a new use in an unstructured way arising from local redevelopment proposals which are the “driver” for change. There may now be an opportunity through the work of the Network to ensure that, in all Member States, older closed landfill sites are simply not just left as open unmanaged land where currently alternative greenfield sites are often viewed for development before a new use of a closed landfill site is considered.
Oldham Council, through its responsibilities for Regeneration and Contaminated Land, always wishes to gain the maximum benefit for all its stakeholders using finite budgets. Oldham’s legacy from the Industrial Revolution and later development includes over 400 closed landfill sites where although many are small they form a significant potential battier to regeneration and redevelopment. By being involved with this low cost Network and being at the edge of new policies and technical procedures for closed landfills, the Authority hopes to import and implement new ideas earlier than would otherwise occur. The other United Kingdom Network Partners, West Sussex District Council and Belfast City Council have different priorities in their responsibilities but similarly wished to contribute to the work of the Network for the benefit of Europe and be nearer to the new policies and procedures being developed for closed landfills.
In particular, Oldham Council,. when considering development proposals for closed landfills, hopes to streamline examination techniques and procedures and become more efficient when offering guidance to stakeholders and the Local Planning Authority.
The life of the Network is finite but all three current United Kingdom Network “Participating Partners” will consider future involvement in new Networks where this is relevant to their responsibilities and their interests
Lead Contact: John Dinsdale
Oldham Council
Environmental Services Directorate
Chadderton Town Hall
Middleton Road
Chadderton
Oldham
OL9 6PP
Tel: 0161 770 4492
Email: john.dinsdale@oldham.gov.uk
Fax: 0161 770 3444