[The legal basis of waste disposal].

Since 1969 environmental protection has been regarded as a high-ranking political concern. The Waste Disposal Act of 1972 laid the foundations for complete and proper disposal of all waste from the aspect of administration and planning. In 1974 three decrees were promulgted: - decree for waste transportation - decree for waste identification - decree for waste importation. In 1977 the Act was amended after a series of scandals related to poisonous refuse made tighter controls for special refuse, such as dangerous industrial waste, necessary. The Federal Government has detailed these types of waste in the Waste Specification Decree of 24th May, 1977. Included are waste materials from certain hospitals and clinics. Subsequent to the ammendment of 1977, the decree on the appointment of a factory agent for waste disposal problems was enacted (26th October 1977). This decree was intended to improve the internal facilities for waste disposal in factories. In 1982 the Parliament voted a second ammendment to the Waste Disposal Act which, among other things, provided for a certain easing in the supervision of the transportation of relatively harmless waste material. Important legal fundamentals for waste disposal are also contained in the following acts: - High-sea waste discharge Act - Waste oil Act - Carcass disposal Act. As the implementation of the Act falls under the responsibility of the Federal States, the competences and waste disposal planning are regulated in the legal provisions and decrees of the Federal States.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)