MEPs back huge water pollutant list expansion

2292, 28/03/07

MEPs have voted to almost double in length a list of pollutants earmarked for priority control action under the EU's water framework directive. Environmentalists and the water industry welcomed the move but the decision will disappoint industry sectors that produce or use the chemicals affected.

The European parliament's environment committee said EU maximum concentration limits should be set for 28 new substances and that a tougher phase-out objective should apply more widely to the list. If backed by the parliament's plenary body it would almost certainly spark a confrontation with governments (EED 01/03/07 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/22731).

In draft legislation tabled last year the European commission proposed EU water quality standards for 33 chemicals on a water quality priority list. In addition, it judged that 12 of the list were priority hazardous substances. Under the framework law emissions of these must end within 20 years (EED 19/07/06 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/21411).

Voting on the plans at first reading in Brussels on Tuesday, the committee said the priority list should be expanded by 28 substances, including major industrial chemicals such as the pesticide glyphosate, plastics intermediate bisphenol-A and flame retardant TBBPA. This would require the commission to develop EU quality standards for each pollutant.

On top of this the committee said a further 11 of the original 33 chemicals - including the plasticiser DEHP and lead - and should be reclassified as priority hazardous substances subject to the 20-year phase-out. Twenty-two of the 28 new chemicals should be classed as potential priority hazardous substances, it said.

In other amendments the committee broadly backed the principle of leaving to member state discretion decisions on any necessary extra emission controls to meet the concentration limits. MEPs retained concentration limits in sediments and living organisms for some of the pollutants, and backed the concept of designating transitional areas where pollutant concentrations exceed the EU limits.

Follow-up: press release http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/064-4607-086-03-13-911-20070326IPR04593-27-03-2007-2007-false/default_en.htm and adopted compromise amendments (including proposed new priority pollutants) http://www.endseuropedaily.com/docs/70328b.doc.

See also EEB press release http://www.eeb.org/press/280307_pr_dont_allow_chemicals_to_foul_our_water.html.

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