Over the past few years Enhanced Landfill Mining (ELFM) has gained considerable momentum, as corroborated by the initiation of three EU-funded ELFM-related projects (ETN NEW-MINE, Interreg RAWFILL and COCOON), the rise of EURELCO, widespread press attention and the recent endorsement of the ELFM concept in the “waste package”, which was formally approved by the European Parliament on March 14, 2017. The justification for this paradigm change is that ELFM does not only enable the recovery of valuable materials which can be brought back into the cycle, but also allows for recovering land area, taking into account that a large part of the EU’s 500.000 historic landfills are situated in a (semi-) urban environment. Nevertheless, the first, full-scale industrial, resource-recovery driven ELFM project still hasn’t occurred yet in Europe. Multiple barriers seem to persist, varying from social acceptance issues to delays in permits. ELFM IV thus faces both challenges and opportunities.
Programme
This ELFM paradox will be central to the 4th ELFM Symposium, which takes place in Mechelen, Belgium, on 5 and 6 February 2018. The conference organisers have published the completed programme: http://elfm.eu/programme/ In the closing debate an expert panel of industrial players, research experts and EC affiliates will discuss the future of ELFM in Europe.
Registration
The early bird registration deadline for this unique Symposium is approaching fast: December, 1, 2017. Registration for this Symposium is done through the on-line form: http://elfm.eu/register/
