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Effect of regulation of chemicals
Contamination caused by chemical pollutants is a major environmental concern in European waters and consequently is addressed by a number of EU legislative measures and policies. Reducing hazardous substances in water requires implementation of the current legislation, but also the adoption of more sustainable production and use of chemicals, both in Europe and beyond.
Improved efforts to retain these chemicals in waste water treatment plants with better waste water treatment should go hand in hand with clear efforts to reduce them at source. Such measures can range from raising consumer awareness, to encouraging industries to adjust the composition of their products, to, over the longer term, fundamentally reviewing our use of chemicals and product design – for instance, moving towards products, which can be easily repaired or recycled[16].
Reducing the emissions of priority substances and phasing out priority hazardous substances – The WFD requires the adoption of measures to control the discharges, emissions and losses of priority and priority hazardous substances to the aquatic environment – progressive reduction in the case of priority, cessation or phasing out in the case of priority hazardous substances. Declines have been observed in the occurrences of some pesticides (e.g. atrazine and diuron), (see section 3.5). This decline relates to banning or restrictions on their use, while the effects of measures may take time as some are persistent and will stay in waters for decades.
Land contaminated with pollutants, for example, at abandoned mining areas, old industrial sites or old fuel stations can cause damage as the pollutants slowly leach into the water environment. Appropriate remedial actions are removal of contaminated material to be treated or incinerated, settling ponds, and local treatment plants.
Table 6.3: Examples of measures on regulating chemicals
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River basin district or country |
Measures |
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EU |
The Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive[17] is an important instrument to help achieve good water status. It reduces the risks and impacts of pesticides on human health; on the environment; and promotes Integrated Pest Management. |
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France |
The French Ministry of Agriculture has implemented the Ecophyto Plan aimed at reducing agricultural pesticide use by 50% by 2018. Environmental taxes on sales of pesticides (“redevances pour pollutions diffuses”) have been introduced in order to achieve this objective. |
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England |
In England one of the measures in the first RBMPs has been a £25m investigation program by the water industry with the focus to gain improved understanding of risks arising from wastewater treatment works discharges. |
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In reference to the 1st paragraph: Activities such as sand and gravel extraction, when properly conducted, can lead to the creation of new biotopes, where the natural phenomena of denitrification becomes beneficial to the aquifer and the surrounding natural environments. UEPG holds a significant database on this scientifically proven fact.
In reference to the 2nd paragraph: In the European Union, a vast majority of aggregates extraction sites are dealing with inert materials such as sand, gravel and crushed rock (without added chemicals and 100% recyclable), and produce inert wastes according to EU definitions and criteria included in EU Directives. The industry’s production process and treatment plants do not include the use of chemicals as in most of the cases the processes are based on mechanical crushing, milling, grinding, and size grading. It is therefore necessary to make a clear distinction between the concept of mining and quarrying, as the nature of their activities and the properties of the materials they extract are very different. It is recommended to define clearly in the report what is meant by industry or heavy industry or mining.
In reference to the 3rd paragraph: In the European Union, a vast majority of aggregates extraction sites are dealing with inert materials such as sand, gravel and crushed rock and produce inert wastes according to EU definitions and criteria included in EU Directives. The industry’s production process and treatment plants do not include the use of chemicals as in most of the cases the processes are based on mechanical crushing, milling, grinding, and size grading. The Aggregates Industry does not represent a threat for water quality. According to permit conditions granted by the administration (including environment and water management authorities, and in many cases under the EIA scheme), main parameters to be considered in quarries and sand and gravel pits are pH, TSS, BOD, BOQ, for which the water discharge parameters are monitored and declared. With the technology in place, water quality is perfectly manageable in aggregates extraction sites. Arsenic, nickel, lead and copper are present in very few sites in Europe, it is therefore important to avoid that a mention to very rare and specific problem is extended to most of the sites that are managing inert materials. It is necessary to clearly define what is meant by industry, heavy industry or mining in the report and it would be recommended to make a clear distinction between the concept of mining and quarrying, as the nature of their activities and the properties of the materials they extract are very different.
In reference to the 4th paragraph: In the European Union, a vast majority of aggregates extraction sites are dealing with inert materials such as sand, gravel and crushed rock and produce inert wastes according to EU definitions and criteria included in EU Directives. The industry’s production process and treatment plants do not include the use of chemicals as in most of the cases the processes are based on mechanical crushing, milling, grinding, and size grading. The Aggregates Industry does not represent a threat for water quality. Arsenic, nickel, lead and copper are present in very few sites in Europe, it is therefore important to avoid that a mention to very rare and specific problem is extended to most of the sites that are managing inert materials. Moreover, every extraction site has to comply with soil pollution legislation and needs an approved rehabilitation plan by the Administration (environment) that is designed to avoid any pollution on soil or on water (surface or groundwater). This risk is even lower or null in most of the extraction sites where all the extracted materials and the extractive wastes (when present) are inert. When necessary, appropiate preventive actions are considered in the design of the project of the plant that is approved by the Administration. As mining sites counting for less than 5% in comparison with quarries, sand and gravel extraction sites representing 95%, it would be recommended to clearly define which measures apply to mining and which ones to the Aggregates Industry, rather than addressing the entire extractive industry, as the nature of their activities and the properties of the materials they extract are very different. It is necessary to clearly define what is meant by industry, heavy industry or mining in the report to avoid any mistake by an extensive interpretation to the entire industry.