Press Release
MEPs move towards reducing industrial pollution
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The EEB is pleased ENVI members stayed firm on improving some shortcomings from the European Council’s position (8th February 2010). In particular, the committee focused on increasing public participation and transparency when it comes to industrial activities, and strengthening provisions which will ensure operating permits are up-to-date with best available techniques.
“Overall, this is a tentative step in the right direction. MEPs resisted efforts to further undermine environmental and public protection. This current position should now be the red line which cannot be crossed; the Directive must not be weakened any further,” said
However, the EEB is concerned that one amendment adopted by the EEP party contradicts the main direction of the Committees’ vote. This amendment, from MEP Elisabetta Gardini, would enable large combustion plants to comply with out of date requirements, which would also completely undermine the deal reached on existing large combustion plants within the compromise package [2]. Groundwater and soil protection measures have also been significantly weakened.
"The Council must now re-evaluate whether or not it wants a tool for creating state-of–the art and socially responsible industry performance, with the right incentives for innovation, or if it rewards unnecessary harm to people and environment”, continued Schaible.
“Our message is clear: a well thought and ambitious end text obtained through conciliation is the only option compared to a hastily prepared, and weak, compromise”, Schaible concluded.
Contacts:
Christian Schaible, EEB Industrial Emissions Policy Officer, +32 22891094, christian.schaible@eeb.org
[1] See previous press release: http://www.eeb.org/EEB/index.cfm/news-events/news/eu-parliament-must-resist-pressure-to-weaken-industrial-emissions-directive/
[2] The compromise package allowed a further transition period for certain plants until 1st July 2019 (the so-called TNP) and another limited life derogation (LLD) of 12.500 hours until 2021, however plants that already have received a previous LLD under the current legislation are explicitly excluded from having another derogation of the same type.
However, Amendment 221 would grant these high polluting and old plants another round of derogation, in contradiction of the spirit of the compromises and reward those operators that have resisted in implementing Best Available Techniques (BATs) over several decades.
In 2001, the EU Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD) was revised to gradually limit pollution emitted from installations such as coal-fired power plants. However, despite 15 years’ warning that a stricter nitrogen oxide Emission Limit Value (ELV) will apply from 2016, several EU countries and their power companies are yet arguing for more time. The so-called (LLD) allowed these plants to derogate from existing ELVs for a limited time and limited number of hours (20.000 hours until 2016), after which date these should close. The LCPD is now being re-cast with other EU industrial legislation into a comprehensive Industrial Emissions Directive. The Commission and the European Parliament’s rapporteur Holger Krahmer have initially concluded that existing plants have had their transition period and should no longer be exempted from the ELVs after 2015, as is already stipulated by the existing LCPD.
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