WRITTEN QUESTION E-1585/02

by Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 June 2002)

Subject: Dioxins

Can the Commission confirm that the question of dioxin emissions is addressed differently under EU legislation when targeting emissions from waste treatment plants (incinerators) and targeting emissions from industrial installations? This is the impression given by the fact that one Belgian steel mill, SIDMAR in Gent, is permitted legally to produce 21 grams of dioxin a year while the collective emissions for European incineration plants, under EU directives, are 22,5 grams of dioxins a year. Could the Commission agree that while incineration has been targeted as a key problem source of dioxins across the EU, attention should now switch to other sources in the effort to reduce overall environmental impact, and to ensure that EU policy reflects real areas of environmental concern, rather than continuing to concentrate on the easier political targets?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(12 July 2002)

Dioxin emissions from all major point sources are addressed under Community legislation and, providing that this legislation is enforced by Member States, a high level of protection will be ensured.

In view of the importance of the waste incineration sector as major source of dioxin emissions, harmonised emission limit values for dioxins have been established in Community legislation since 1994 in the case of hazardous waste incineration and, more recently, since the adoption of Directive 2000/76/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 4 December 2000 on the incineration of waste(1) in all forms of incineration including municipal incineration.

In the case of other industrial sectors the relevant cross-cutting instrument is Council Directive 96/61/EC of 24 September 1996 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control(2). This Directive requires large industrial installations to take all the appropriate preventive measures against pollution, in particular through application of the best available techniques (BAT) upon take-up of operation and by 2007 at the latest for existing installations. Contrary to the above mentioned Directive 2000/76/EC on the incineration of waste, this Directive provides for emission limit values to be set locally in line with the principle of subsidiarity. Limits must be based on BAT, a regulatory concept that takes account of costs and benefits so as to achieve a fair and proportionate treatment of different industrial sectors. In order to provide information for the guidance of authorities, the Commission organises an exchange of information on BAT in different sectors.

From a purely technical point of view, dioxin emissions from some processes, such as waste incineration, can be better controlled than emissions from other processes.

As far as Sidmar is concerned, this installation has apparently made big efforts to reduce its dioxin emissions and with great success. According to information available to the Commission, in 2001 the total emissions were at 0,6 grams or 3 per cent of 1997 levels. In addition, it is reported that this plant is perhaps the best monitored sinter plant in the whole world with respect to its dioxin emissions.

The dominant source of dioxins in the Community has historically been uncontrolled waste incineration. In view of the importance of waste incineration as a source of dioxin emissions, the Commission has proposed several Directives on incineration of waste leading to a significant reduction of dioxin emissions. According to the European Dioxin Emission Inventory, Stage II (Landesumweltamt Nordrhein-Westfalen, December 2000), funded by the Commission, incineration of municipal solid wastes has experienced a rapid decrease of dioxin and furan emissions to air during the last decade due to efficient abatement measures: dioxin emission levels in 2000 have decreased by 58 % compared to the levels in 1995 and they foresee a decrease of 81 % comparing the levels of 1995 to 2005.

On 24 October 2001, the Commission adopted a Communication to the Council, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee on a Community Strategy for Dioxins, Furans and PCBs(3). The Communication outlines the problem of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), the progress in addressing the problem, the remaining gaps, the basis for Community action and it develops a strategy to reduce the presence of these compounds in the environment, in feed and food.

It is stated in the Communication that waste incineration is no longer the major dioxin source and that for the industrial sources a considerable emission reduction has been achieved (based on current trends and activities it is foreseen that the target set in the 5th Environment Action Programme of a 90 % reduction will be nearly realised in 2005 compared to the levels in 1985) but, for the non-industrial sources (domestic solid fuel burning, domestic waste burning, fires, etc.) the rate of emission reduction is much lower. These sources have so far been left to the Member States, and the Commission sees no need to change this policy, as it is consistent with the principle of subsidiarity.

The Communication identifies a set of non-legislative actions for the short- to medium-term and for the long-term focusing on inter alia dioxin sources (iron ore sintering, electric arc furnaces, non-ferrous metal industry, miscellaneous industrial sources and non-industrial emission sources).

(1) OJ L 332, 28.12.2000.

(2) OJ L 257, 10.10.1996.

(3) OJ C 322, 17.11.2001.