No C 230/22 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 10. 9. 81 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive  concerning  the limit  values  for discharges  of 
cadmium  into  the aquatic  environment  and  quality  objectives  for cadmium  in the aquatic 
environment 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 118  of 21 March  1981,  page  3. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 11 March  1981  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic  and 
Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  198  of the Treaty  establishing  the European 
Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the above  matter  at its 189th 
plenary  session  held  in Brussels  on 1,2  and  3 July  1981. 
The full text of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the Treaty  establishing  the European 
Economic  Community,  and  in particular  Article  198 
thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  made  by the Council  of the 
European  Communities  on 11 March  1981  for  an 
opinion  on the  proposal  for  a Council  Directive 
concerning  the limit  values  for discharges  of cadmium 
into the aquatic  environment  and  quality  objectives  for 
cadmium  in the aquatic  environment, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by the Committee's 
Bureau  on 24 March  1981,  instructing  the Section  for 
Protection  of the  Environment,  Public  Health  and 
Consumer  Affairs  to prepare  an opinion  on the matter, 
Having  regard  to the opinion  issued  by the above  Section 
at its 63rd  meeting,  held  on 2 June  1981, 
Having  regard  to the oral report  made  by the rapporteur, 
Mr Zoli, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 189th  plenary 
session  held  on 1,2  and  3 July  1981  (meeting  of 2 July 
1981), 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously: 
1. General  comments the aquatic  environment  from  pollution  by cadmium, 
even though  such  consultation  is not expressly  provided 
for in the  parent  Directive  of 1976  (Directive 
76/464/EEC  of 4 May  1976  on pollution  caused  by 
certain  dangerous  substances  discharged  into  the aquatic 
environment  of the Community)  ('). 
1.2. Cadmium  is a highly  toxic  and persistent  metal, 
very harmful  to man  and particularly  the kidneys.  It can 
reach  the human  body  along  many  pathways  - air and 
water  pollution,  food,  tobacco,  etc. 
1.3. The  Committee  is therefore  pleased  that,  as a 
general  measure  to ensure  the protection  of public  health, 
the Commission  proposes  to fix  limit  values  for 
discharges  of cadmium  into  the aquatic  environment  as 
well as quality  objectives  for fresh  and salt water. 
1.4. The  Committee  notes  with  interest  that  the 
proposal  was  preceded  by extensive  scientific  research 
and analysis. 
2. Specific  comments 
2.1. Annex  I: Table  of limit  values 
The Committee  notes,  in  agreement  with  the 
recommendation  of government  experts,  that  the limit 
values  proposed  for the non-ferrous  metal  industry  are a 
compromise  between  divergent  national  rules;  some 
countries  apply  even  more  stringent  limit  values. 
1.1. The  Committee  is pleased  that  it has  been 
consulted  on the highly  important  issue  of protection  of (5) OJNoL  129,  18. 6. 1976. 
10. 9. 81 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 230/23 
The Committee  considers,  therefore,  that  more  stringent 
limits  to discharges  of cadmium  in this  industry  are not 
only justified  because  of the  need  to protect  the 
environment  (and  hence  human  health)  but  are  also 
acceptable  from  the practical  point  of view,  given  the 
characteristics  of a number  of plants  already  in operation 
and the  dates  by  which  limit  values  have  to be 
observed. 
The Committee  cannot,  however,  close  its eyes  to the fact 
that there  is some  concern  about  the 1986  time  limit  for 
old plant. 
The Committee  requests  that  the description  of the type 
of industry  listed  last  in the table  of limit  values  ('Other industries,  except  the manufacture  of phosphoric  acid 
from  phosphate  rock')  be amended  to read  as follows: 
'Other  industries,  except  the  manufacture  of 
phosphoric  acid  and/or  phosphate  fertilizers  from 
phosphate  rocks'. 
2.2. Annex  I: Verification  procedure  for  emission 
standards 
The Committee  considers  that  the measurement  of the 
daily  average  concentration  of cadmium  in effluents  is of 
vital importance  from  the  point  of  view  of 
implementation  of the Directive.  It therefore  requests  that 
the concept  of proportionality  between  total  flow  and the 
sample  collected  over  a period  of one day,  be made  clearer 
in all languages. 
Done  at Brussels,  2 July  1981. 
The Chairman 
of the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Tomas  ROSEINGRAVE