<s>[INST] The next text is a question of a member of the European parliament:"The problem of properly disposing of asbestos-based waste is likely to take on extremely serious proportions throughout the Union because of the current economic crisis, which is encouraging indiscriminate dumping and is being compounded by the diminishing number of authorised storage sites. In Italy for example, only about ten storage sites are still operational, with residual storage capacity now close to saturation.The use of disused quarries and mines for burying inert asbestos is currently the best practice most commonly followed. The EU should also channel funding in this direction, given that it generates a certain level of employment.In view of this:1.Can the Commission say whether the European Union will channel funding into co-partnership projects with Member States and private operators in order to provide more facilities for the definitive storage of asbestos from authorised waste disposal and remediation projects?2.How many such plants are still operational in the Union? What volumes of waste will they be processing calculated in years of presumed operation?Supporter(1)  (1)This question is supported by a Member other than the authors: Isabella Tovaglieri (ID)"
Analyze carefully the text and assign it to the most relevant policy area among those listed below. Do not explain your answer and return only a number.
Policy area numbers: 1 = Macroeconomics
2 = Civil Rights, Minority Issues and Civil Liberties
3 = Health
4 = Agriculture and Fisheries
5 = Labour, employment and pensions
6 = Education
7 = Environment
8 = Energy
9 = Immigration
10 = Transportation
12 = Law and Crime
13 = Social welfare
14 = Regional and Urban issues and Planning
15 = Banking, finance and domestic commerce issues
16 = Defence
17 = Space, science, technology, and communications issues
18 = Foreign trade
19 = International affairs and foreign aid
20 = Governance and government
21 = Public Lands, Water Management and Territorial Issues
23 = Culture and media
[/INST]. Answer = [7]. </s>
The problem of properly disposing of asbestos-based waste is likely to take on extremely serious proportions throughout the Union because of the current economic crisis, which is encouraging indiscriminate dumping and is being compounded by the diminishing number of authorised storage sites. In Italy for example, only about ten storage sites are still operational, with residual storage capacity now close to saturation.The use of disused quarries and mines for burying inert asbestos is currently the best practice most commonly followed. The EU should also channel funding in this direction, given that it generates a certain level of employment.In view of this:1.Can the Commission say whether the European Union will channel funding into co-partnership projects with Member States and private operators in order to provide more facilities for the definitive storage of asbestos from authorised waste disposal and remediation projects?2.How many such plants are still operational in the Union? What volumes of waste will they be processing calculated in years of presumed operation?Supporter(1)  (1)This question is supported by a Member other than the authors: Isabella Tovaglieri (ID)