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(2004/C 65 E/120)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1999/03

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 June 2003)

Subject:   Leakage of Chlophen (PCB) in central Athens

According to articles in the Greek press, a report by the University of Crete claims that there has been a leakage of Chlophen (PCB), a material used as insulation in transformers, condensers etc., from the Greek Public Power Corporation's (DEH) substation in the basement of the Ministry of Finance (in central Athens). This material is known to be extremely hazardous and carcinogenic; authoritative scientific journals consider it responsible for neurological disorders in embryos, disruption of the endocrine system, etc.

This is not the first time that there has been talk of a leakage of Chlophen from a DEH substation in Greece, while in the specific case of the building housing the Greek Ministry of Finance, the concentration of Chlophen was 9000 (!) times greater than that in the air in Athens.

Is Chlophen used in other Member States of the Union? What information has the Commission received from the Greek authorities concerning the above incident recorded by the University of Crete in central Athens? Does the Commission have any information concerning similar incidents in Greece over the last ten years?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(17 July 2003)

The Commission assumes that the question is generally addressing PCBs, because Clophen is a trade name for PCBs in commercial formulation. Use restrictions on PCBs are laid down in Council Directive 85/467/EEC of 1 October 1985 amending for the sixth time (PCBs/CTs) Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (1). According to Council Directive 96/59/EC of 16 September 1996 on the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCB/PCT) (2) for equipment with PCB volumes of more than 5 cubic decimeter (dm3) decontamination and/or disposal shall be effected at the latest by the end of 2010. Therefore, at the time being some equipment containing PCBs is still in use in Member States.

On 16 June 2003 the Commission proposed that the Union ratifies two international agreements on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), which include PCBs in the 12 listed POPs. These international agreements, the Stockholm Convention and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Protocol on POPs aim at phasing out these most toxic chemicals by controlling their production, use, import, export, emissions and disposal. At the same time, the Commission has proposed a Regulation to fulfil the obligations from the international agreements at home and to enable prompt ratification by the Union (see: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/pops/index_en.htm).

In general, the Commission is neither informed about incidents related to the use of PCBs, nor has it been contacted regarding this specific incident by the Greek authorities, or any similar accident in the past.

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(1)OJ L 269, 11.10.1985.

(2)OJ L 243, 24.9.1996.

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