Brussels, 24/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - On 19 July, the European Commission presented measures to combat surface water pollution caused by harmful substances. A proposal for a directive concerning environmental quality standards for water was adopted by the College of Commissioners with a view to setting limit values on the concentration in surface waters of 41 substances - pesticides, biocides (non-agricultural pesticides), heavy metals and other dangerous chemical substances, such as flame retardants - that present a particular risk for animal and plant life in the aquatic environment and for human health. These limit values must be met by 2015, the date when the framework directive on surface waters (Directive 200/60/EC) requires that all Community waters should be of a high quality status. Thirteen of the substances concerned also come under the category of “priority hazardous substances” to which particularly strict limit values will apply because they are toxic, persist in the environment without breaking down and become increasingly concentrated as they move up the food chain, a process known as bioaccumulation. Member States will have to cease discharges and emissions of priority hazardous substances into water by 2025.
“One drop of a hazardous substance can be enough to pollute thousands of litres of water so it is vitally important that we properly control chemicals that pose a threat to the environment and human health. These common standards of protection are needed because many river basins and coastal waters cross international boundaries”, Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas states in a press release.
The Commission has nonetheless considered it appropriate to introduce specific control measures at EU level for priority substances, to the great disappointment of the environment NGOs that make up the EEB. A Commission press release argues that the impact study of the proposal has shown that such action is not justified at present given the large number of Community instruments that exist or that are to be adopted to reduce emissions. The Commission cites the IPPC directive on integrated pollution and prevention control, the existing directive and the future thematic strategy on pesticides, as well as the proposed REACH regulation on chemical products.
Once the Surface Water Directive proposed by the Commission is adopted by the Council and Parliament, it will replace and rescind five existing directives adopted during the eighties (Directives 82/176/EEC, 83/513/EEC, 84/156/EEC, 84/491/EEC and 86/280/EEC).