Estonian local govts lose right to appoint waste handler

Photo: Ants Liigus / Pärnu Postimees

Estonia's top court has decided that the Waste Act amendment which strips local self-governments and their nonprofit associations of the right to be the sole waste handler on the territory of the local authority is legal, but self-governments retain the right to designate the waste management facility.

Thirteen self-governments appealed to the Supreme Court to halt the amendment, seeking the right to decide on what would be the best way to organize waste handling within their administrative territory considering the size of the population.

The local governments' wish met with opposition from the government and the Waste Management Association.

Local authorities retain the right to hold a tender for waste transport services which enables waste producers to make service charge settlements based on prices determined under competition. Self-governments also retain the right to designate existing waste handling centers as waste management facilities without competition.

The law firm Sorainen that represented a number of local self-governments in waste-related matters said the Supreme Court ruling gives local authorities greater legal clarity as regards the organization of waste management.