Ministers agree to tighten rules on industrial pollution
Monday, 29 June 2009 16:54 | 
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Environment Ministers reached a political agreement on 25 June, on tightening the rules for harmful industrial emissions, in a move which seeks to combine seven different air pollution laws, including the integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) directive. The proposal, which had originally been put forward by the EU’s executive branch in 2007, will see around 52,000 operators needing to obtain permits from national authorities in order to release pollutants into the air, land or water.
Many Member States have raised concerns in the past that implementing the new and tougher rules would prove too costly, so the Czech Presidency has been praised for brokering an important consensus.
The most controversial issue to be looked at was large combustion plants. The Commission originally proposed to tighten emissions limit values by forcing plants to adopt Best Available Techniques (BATs) by 2016, a proposal approved by environment Ministers, whilst all new combustion plants would need to implement BATs within two years of the entry into force of the directive.
National authorities will have until 2020 to define ‘transitional action plans’, for reducing emissions of NOx, SO2 and dust, a year longer than the Presidency proposals had asked for.
The Commission had also hoped to grant a greater role in the permitting process to Best Available Techniques Reference Documents (BREFs), so that Member States would only have a limited role in deviating from BATs. A coalition headed by the UK, Italy and the Netherlands has however ensured Member States will be allowed to exceed emission limits in certain situations, allowing greater flexibility.
EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas sees the agreement as a step in the right direction, saying ‘Today's agreement brings us one step closer to substantial emission reductions from industrial plants, which will decrease the exposure of European citizens to harmful pollutants and significantly improve the health of the environment’.
The EEB (European Environmental Bureau), a grouping of 140 environmental organizations, was less convinced however, saying they were ‘appalled by the minimalist approach taken by certain member states led by the UK and Poland’.
Many Member States have raised concerns in the past that implementing the new and tougher rules would prove too costly, so the Czech Presidency has been praised for brokering an important consensus.
The most controversial issue to be looked at was large combustion plants. The Commission originally proposed to tighten emissions limit values by forcing plants to adopt Best Available Techniques (BATs) by 2016, a proposal approved by environment Ministers, whilst all new combustion plants would need to implement BATs within two years of the entry into force of the directive.
National authorities will have until 2020 to define ‘transitional action plans’, for reducing emissions of NOx, SO2 and dust, a year longer than the Presidency proposals had asked for.
The Commission had also hoped to grant a greater role in the permitting process to Best Available Techniques Reference Documents (BREFs), so that Member States would only have a limited role in deviating from BATs. A coalition headed by the UK, Italy and the Netherlands has however ensured Member States will be allowed to exceed emission limits in certain situations, allowing greater flexibility.
EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas sees the agreement as a step in the right direction, saying ‘Today's agreement brings us one step closer to substantial emission reductions from industrial plants, which will decrease the exposure of European citizens to harmful pollutants and significantly improve the health of the environment’.
The EEB (European Environmental Bureau), a grouping of 140 environmental organizations, was less convinced however, saying they were ‘appalled by the minimalist approach taken by certain member states led by the UK and Poland’.
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