EC advances on IPC
The European Commission is putting the final touches on its draft proposal for a framework directive on integrated pollution control (IPC). The commission expects to adopt the draft within the next two months, after which the European Council will debate the subject. The philosophy behind IPC-balancing emissions to air, water, and land to give the best environmental impact overall-has already been written into legislation in the U.K., which is about to implement the law for existing plants. The European approach is said to resemble the U.K. regulation. However, there is likely to be a lively debate among European Community members regarding standards to be used in the directive. Germany favors best available techniques (BAT), and the U.K. supports environmental quality standards (EQS). In the current draft, the BAT definition states that methods must be industrially feasible from a technical and economic point of view. But EQS, set by the World Health Organization or other internationally recognized or national groups, will be used if BAT is not established, says the commission. The European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC: Brussels) is preparing guidance notes on EQS and BAT, hoping to find a common CEFIC viewpoint. Specific activities that need to be controlled and substances that require limit values will be listed in the IPC framework directive, but detail will be left to supplementary directives or national control. A European network of environmental inspectorates is being set up to try to improve consistency of enforcement.
- OSTI ID:
- 6591697
- Journal Information:
- Chemical Week; (United States), Journal Name: Chemical Week; (United States) Vol. 152:13; ISSN CHWKA9; ISSN 0009-272X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
EU moves on IPPC, energy-CO{sub 2} tax
European industry attacks proposed carbon tax
Related Subjects
290200* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Economics & Sociology
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
ATOMIC ENERGY CONTROL
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
CONTROL
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENFORCEMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
EUROPE
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRY
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
LEGISLATION
NATIONAL CONTROL
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POLLUTION CONTROL
WATER
WHO