CELEX: 51974PC1856
Language: en
Date: 1974-11-18
Title: DRAFT COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning a revised list of second-category pollutants to be studied as part of the Programme of Action on the Environment (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (74) 1856
Vol. 1974/0291
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
Conformément au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983,
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit
règlement.
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic
Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243,
27.9.2003, p. 1), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1.
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983,
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. September 2003
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.
 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION GF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                              COM(74) 1856 final
                                                             Brussels , 18 November 1974
                                DRAFT COUNCIL RESOLUTION
               concerning a revised list of second-category pollutants
       to be studied as part of the Programme of Action on the Environment
                     ( submitted to the Council by the Commission)
   COÏT ( 74 ) I856 final
 ---pagebreak--- TEOPL'iîTiVTORT STUîORAITnJI ,
                                     - 1 -
       Part II , Title I ChapterUof the Commission 's Environmental Programme
as approved "by the Council on 22 November 1973 deals with objective eval­
uation of risks to human health and the environment from pollution. In this
chapter two categories of pollutants are considered .
       Priority is to be given to pollutants included in the first category ,
which have been chosen on the grounds both of their toxicity and of the
current state of knowledge of their significance in the health and ecological
fields .
       The list of second-category pollutants was given as a guide , and it was
agreed that the Commission would propose a definitive list by 31 July 1974.
       With a view to drawing up this list , the Commission conducted a study
whose results were discussed by a group of specialists in toxicoligy,
ecology and environmental hygiene . This group of experts considered the poll­
utants mentioned in the second -category list of the Environmental Programme
in the ligfrt of the following factors ?
       – quantities présent and persistence in the environment ;
       - effect on the population as a whole or on particular population groupB ;
       - toxic effects on human beings and if possible on fauna and flora ;
       - health and ecological consequences of proloh^ed exposure to small doses .
       A number of other pollutants were considered in addition to those
mentioned in the list .
       The following conclusions may be drawn from this ttudys
       Most of the available data on acute or chronic toxicity relate to a
limited number of well-known pollutants . Where a substance has only recently
been introduced or is not widely used , or when it is of low toxicity, little
or no information is available .
V/P/3158/74 e
 ---pagebreak---      Various categories of substances such as dyes , organic solvents and
organic dusts include several hundred chemical compounds . A great deal of
scientific information exists in this field but not much of it is accessible .
     In most documents , especially in comparatively old ones , not enough
information is given on analytical techniques , experimental conditions and
clinical aspects . Experimental studies are carried out on a wide variety of
animals or plants and employ various dosing techniques , with the results
that the findings cannot be objectively compared .
     Long-term effects are known for only a few substances and havo been
clearly determined only where the substances are very noxious . It is thus
often impossible to draw any general conclusions from this information.
Moreover , substances originally regarded as harmless are subsequently found
to be toxic cr noxious . Such substances must then be included in the Environ­
mental Programme .
     Bearing these factors in mind , the Commission proposes the following
revised list of second-category pollutants .
     Studies of each of these pollutants will be conducted by the Commission
in accordance with the same objectives and operating procedures as for first-
category pollutants . The list may be revised as new products are marketed or
specific noxious or toxic effects are discovered .
     A number of pollutants have been added to the provisional list of second-
category pollutants in the Environmental Programme .
AIR  t   barium , vinyl chloride ;
        pesticides , phtalates , substances i::.ving an unpleasant odour or
        tast©
         ( excluding mercaptans and hydrogen sulphide ), thallium .
V/F/3158/74 e
 ---pagebreak--- WATER   t ammonia , anionio detergents , asbestos , "beryllium , cadmxum , moly–
          Menum , nickel , nitrates , nitrites , phtalates , selenium , silicon
          ( organic compounds ), tellurium , titanium , uranium.
The following pollutants which were included in the list have teen omitted :
AIR     : ammonia , beryllium , chlorine , hydrochloric acid , nitrosamines ,
          organic dusts .
WA.3EER :    nitrogen derivatives : renamed ammonia , nitrates , nitrites ;
             iron .
V/p/3158/74 e
 ---pagebreak---              Draft Council Eesolution concerning a revised list of
               second–category pollutants to "be studied as part
                 of the Programme of Action on the Environment
The Council of the European Communities,
HAVING REGARD TO the draft resolution put forward by the Commission ;
WHERE&S risks to human health and the environment from pollution must he
objectively evaluated ;
WHERE/IS   such an evaluation is necessary to limit the levels of pollutants..'
in the environment and to determine values for the quality of these
products ;
WHEREAS there are gaps in the knowledge of pollutants and their effects and
thorough, study and research is necessary in this field ;
WHEREAS the pollutants listed in the first category of the Programme of
Action on the Environment of the European Communities ( l ) are already being
investigated ;
WHEREAS a definitive list of second-category pollutants is to be drawn up
as part of this Programme ;
HAS ADOP5SB THE FOII/WI1ÏO REpOUTTION' :
 ( 1 ) Official Journal C 112 of 20 December 1973
 v/F/3158/74 e
 ---pagebreak--- Roviced version of the Itat ©f soconcW>catsgory pallutrjiis set out in the
Progs&mne of Action on via Ehviyonnont for investigation by the Commission in
connection with f&e-measures trnde? the s,bov® Prograoaa to cozab&t pollution
and nuisanoe .
AIR                                            W/.TER
ant imony                                      ammonia
barium                                         anionic detergents
cadmium                                        antimony
fluorine                                       asbestos
hydrogen sulphide                              barium
mercaptans                                     béryllium
nickel                                         bleaching agents
pesticides                                     boron
phtalates                                       cadmium
substances having an unpleasant                chlorine and its compounds
odour or taste ( excluding mercaptans          cobalt
and hydrogen sulphide )
thallium                                       dyes
                                               molybdenum
vinyl chloride
                                               nickel
                                               nitrates   .
                                               nitrites
                                                organic solvents
                                               pesticides
                                               phosphorus and its compounds
                                               phtalates
                                                selenium
                                                silicon and its organic compounds
                                                substances having an unpleasant
                                               odour or taste
                                               telluxium
                                               thallium
                                               titanium
                                               uranium
                                               vanadium
V/F/3158/74