Law No. 4042 on the protection of the environment through criminal law, on waste management and other provisions, in compliance with EU Directives 2008/99/EC and 2008/98/EC.

The law aims at harmonizing the Greek legislative framework with EU Directives 2008/99/EC and 2008/98/EC as regards the protection of the environment through criminal law and waste management. The law consists of 72 articles divided in four parts. Part I incorporates into the national legislative framework the provisions made under EU Directive 2008/99/EC. Articles 2 to 9 (Part I) establish penalties for environmentally harmful activities, which typically cause or are likely to cause substantial damage to the air, including the stratosphere, to soil, water, animals or plants, including to the conservation of species. Part II (articles 10 to 48) harmonizes the national legislative framework with the provisions of EU Directive 2008/98/EC by establishing measures to protect the environment and human health by preventing or reducing the adverse impacts of the generation and management of waste and by reducing overall impacts of resource use and improving the efficiency of such use. These measures include recycling, control of hazardous waste, ban on the mixing of hazardous waste and rules on labelling of waste. Parts III (articles 49-56) and IV (articles 57-72) provides for certain amendments in the current legislation and for matters falling under the competence of the ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change.