Brussels, 21/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament is calling for the EU to ban metallic mercury exports and mercury linked compounds from 1 December 2010. It is calling for import bans on this heavy metal entering the European market, and for surplus stocks that have not been used to be stored in conditions of the utmost safety. A timetable will allow for the EU strategy to be put into practice and reduce the level of overall exposure to mercury for people and ecosystems. It will also aim to gradually phase out this heavy metal that is extremely toxic to human health and the environment.
The European Parliament gave its verdict on 20 June in a first reading of the draft regulation of October 2006 on the “ban on metallic mercury exports and the storage of this substance in conditions of the utmost safety”. It chose by a very large majority (668 votes for, 18 against, with 11 abstentions) not to compromise the demands of the environment committee (EUROPE 9422). Following the line of their rapporteur Dimitrios Papadimoulis (GUE/NGL, Greece), MEPs extended the field of application for the regulation for banning metallic mercury imports into the EU from 1 July 2010 (the Commission's proposal was limited to banning exports) and ensure that the ban covers both metallic mercury and its compounds, such as cinnabar, calomel and other compounds (with the exception of mercuric sulphide) and certain products containing mercury.
MEPs also toughened up safety conditions for storing metallic mercury for which the marketing in the EU is now banned.
Aware that there is still no technological market that guarantees the fail safe elimination of liquid mercury, MEPs decided that the temporary storage of this substance can continue for transition reasons - the time for updating and fully assessing safe elimination techniques. They are therefore demanding that from 1 December 2010, member states ensure that metallic mercury is no longer used in the chlorine and sodium industries, or that mercury is extracted from cinnabar ore. Mercury from the cleaning of natural gas and mercury recovered as a by-product from non-ferrous metals shall be transported, stored and disposed in the EU, in compliance with conditions that are both safe for human health and the environment. These operations should be carried out in appropriate facilities that qualify for this purpose and which are accompanied by a safety assessment and permit.
Parliament explained that metallic mercury is considered as waste and can only be stored temporarily in appropriately constructed underground salt mines, or in above-ground facilities exclusively dedicated to this task (MEPs consider that the initial proposal did not clearly identify whether the European Commission intended to authorise storage or elimination of metallic mercury in the underground salt mines).
According to the polluter pays principle, MEPs are calling for responsibility during the temporary storage phase to remain with the owner of the storage facility. They also recommend that a fund is set up by the mercury industries. They also expressed a wish to examine the possibility of using the Almaden site in Spain as a main storage site. This was the main source of mercury in Europe until 2003 and MEPs believe that it should be able to qualify for compensatory measures.
Several amendments were voted on to compel all actors (member states and the industry) to exchange information on movements of mercury, and to request sanctions for infringements to the future regulation.
The Greens/EFA group is delighted that the proposal's field of application has been extended. On the other hand it regrets that Parliament had not opted for an earlier introduction of the export ban, and that it had not retained the amendment aiming to ban liquid mercury elimination.
A collective of environmental and pro-health NGOs (BEE, Health Care Without Harm, the Health & Environment Alliance and the Zero Mercury Working Group) also regret this but welcomed Parliament's vote, which “would also prohibit the export of other mercury compounds and mercury-containing products that are prohibited for sale in the EU, and would foresee similar import bans into the EU” and would therefore put an end to a “policy of double standards”. These NGOs are also counting on the Council and Commission to follow Parliament's example and obtain an agreement at the Environment Council on 28 June. (an)