6 November, 2008, Bulgaria. The environmental assessment (EIA) of a waste management project proposed by Sofia municipality to deal with the Bulgarian capital's chronic waste problems has been criticised by Bankwatch's Bulgarian member group Za Zemiata for failing to consider an alternative waste management scenario officially submitted by NGOs in collaboration with experts and researchers from Europe and the U.S. Such a procedural breach of Bulgarian EIA legislation should, believes Za Zemiata, rule out vital EU funding that the authorities in Sofia are seeking for the EUR 175 million project. [1]

C. Jackson, Member of the European Parliament, appointed rapporteur to the Waste Framework Directive was working as a "consultant" for a the waste company "Shanks" in what it is a clear conflict of interest. In these Worst Lobby Awards contest you have the opportunity to learn about the obscure practices that some lobbying companies and politicians perform in Brussels and which hamper the European democratic project.

1 October, 2008. Croatia. Protests against a EUR 40 million waste management centre planned for development in the Croatian tourist hotspot of Istria have been taking place in Zagreb. The justifications for the project remain unclear particularly in view of the fact that local recycling targets are set at a regrettably low rate of 23% by 2015 and that the center's capacity is 50 percent higher than needed, according to the Croatian Waste Management Plan. The proposed site for the project is one kilometre from the sea and three kilometres from the ancient city of Pula.

At least 2,000 people march in the streets of San Sebastian in the Basque Region of Spain to protest against the construction of an incinerator.

On June 17, 2008, the European Parliament approved a weak, industry-friendly Waste Framework Directive.