HELCOM RECOMMENDATION 6/6

Adopted 13 March 1985, having regard to Article 13, Paragraph b) of the Helsinki Convention 

RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING LIMITATION OF DISCHARGES OF CADMIUM FROM LAND-BASED SOURCES 

THE COMMISSION,

RECALLING that according to Article 6 of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, 1974, (Helsinki Convention), the Contracting Parties shall take all appropriate measures to control and strictly limit pollution by noxious substances,

RECALLING ALSO that Annex II of the Helsinki Convention defines cadmium as a noxious substance for the purposes of Article 6 of the Convention,

NOTING the existing risk of pollution of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea Area by cadmium caused by discharges of this substance from various sources,

RECOGNIZING that the concentration of cadmium in effluents from industrial sources directly after treatment can be kept below 0.1 mg/l by the use of common wastewater treatment technology (e.g. precipitation, ion exchange),

DESIRING to limit cadmium pollution of the Baltic Sea Area by accomplishing special measures concerned,

RECOMMENDS to the Governments of the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention that:

a)         national regulations for the limitation of the use of cadmium to a strict minimum be established within the following applications:

(i)         electroplating;

(ii)        pigments; and

(iii)       stabilizers;

b)         the following measures be taken to reduce discharges of cadmium from industrial sources:

(i)         recycling of cadmium-containing wastewater, or otherwise limitation of the use of water in processes where cadmium is handled;

(ii)        strict separation of cadmium-containing wastewater from all other effluents; and

(iii)       effective treatment of wastewater containing cadmium by the use of common or other advanced technology so that the concentration and quantity of cadmium in effluents from various industrial sources as monthly averages should not exceed the following values measured at the point where the effluent leaves the plant:

*)         application of the limit value may be suspended until 1988 in the case of plants which discharge less than 10 kg of cadmium a year and in which the total volume of electroplating tanks is less than 1.5 m³.

c)         the development of methods to reduce the cadmium content in phosphatic fertilizers and discharges from fertilizer production be urged, and national regulations to this matter be adopted when such methods are available,

RECOMMENDS FURTHER that regular resorts on national measures taken in accordance with Paragraphs a) (i)-(iii) be submitted to the Commission by 1 July 1986 and subsequently at three years' intervals.