On December 5, 2022, the Decree approving the National Program for the Prevention and Integral Management of Waste 2022-2024 was published in the DOF.
In it, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, establishes 5 priority objectives:
1. – The increase of the capacity of the urban solid waste recycling market throughout the country.
2.- The promotion of the adaptation of the regulatory framework for an integral sustainable waste management.
3. The stimulation of the creation regarding infrastructure and equipment necessary for the sustainable management of waste.
4. The encouragement of the conditions to professionalize, develop and strengthen the economy of the institutions and the informal sector that provide services associated with waste management.
5. The development of a responsible culture in relation to the generation and management of waste.
Each of these priority objectives entails a strategy with specific actions on the part of the Secretariat, in which, in general, they are aimed at developing an infrastructure and a framework, both legal and economic, that promotes the circular economy, as well as promoting awareness and best practices through outreach, information and training programs among the actors involved and in society in general.
Particularly in the area of regulations, the modification of current norms or the development of new provisions is foreseen, which are expect in the following points:
1) 2.1.2 Promote adjustments to the legal framework and waste initiatives directed to SEMARNAT to develop prevention, minimization, mandatory separation at source, circular economy, recovery, and sustainable final disposal.
2) 2.1.3 Update NOM-083-SEMARNAT-2003.
Remember that this standard refers to the environmental protection specifications for site selection, design, construction, operation, monitoring, closure, and complementary works of a site for the final disposal of urban solid waste and special handling waste.
Point 3.4.3 states as a specific action to formulate a Guide for compliance with this standard.
Point 3.4.4 states that those responsible for sanitary landfills should "encourage them to prepare their operating manual, which should include specific programs for maintenance and environmental monitoring of biogas, leachate and aquifers in accordance with the provisions of this standard" and leaves the possibility that a new standard may be developed to replace it.
3) 2.2.1 Contribute to, participate in, and promote the review, updating and formulation of regulatory instruments to strengthen the integrated management of hazardous waste.
4) 2.2.2 To propose modifications to the legal framework to improve the management of Hazardous Waste.
5) 2.2.3 Update Official Mexican Standard NOM-141-SEMARNAT-2003, Tailings Dams.
6) 2.2.4 Update Official Mexican Standard NOM-157-SEMARNAT-2009, Mining Waste Management Plans.
7) 2.3.2 Update the SEMARNAT-SE Agreement to control the import and export of substances and wastes included in the annexes of the Basel, Stockholm, Rotterdam, and Minamata Conventions.
8) 2.3.3 Promote the revision, updating and application of the National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention.
9) 2.3.6 Promote the ratification of the Amendment to the Basel Convention Banning the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes.
To promote its priority strategy 3.6 regarding increasing the infrastructure authorized for the integrated management of hazardous waste, SEMARNAT plans to streamline the management of hazardous waste procedures through the implementation of computerized tools.
Regarding the priority strategy "5.4 Promote the characterization of tailings at potentially contaminated sites to determine if they are hazardous waste", it is noted that inspection visits will be made to potentially contaminated sites where tailings have been deposited and their characterization will be requested.
As always, our recommendation is to continue informing ourselves of all the changes and advances in the subject and to try to advance actions that are within our possibilities so that we can prepare ourselves in time and not fall into non-compliance or need to hurry to carry out the necessary modifications or adjustments.
Initiatives such as the Zero Waste Protocol and separation of waste at source, as well as regulatory efforts in relation to the circular economy, will be important in this vision, so the review of these concepts will be very useful for decision making.
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