Vol. 433 No. 5
86 Mrs. Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give details of the political consensus arrived at by the twelve Environment Ministers at the Environment Council on 28 and 29 June 1993, concerning the Directive on the Incineration of Dangerous Waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
At its meeting on 28 and 29 June, the EC Council of Environment Ministers reached agreement on a Directive concerning the incineration of hazardous waste. The text of the Directive will be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities when it has been formally adopted by the Council in due course following its final editing.
The Directive lays down stringent new standards and operating conditions for hazardous waste incineration plants throughout the EC. It provides for regulation of all discharges from these plants on an integrated pollution control basis so as to prevent transfer of pollution from one environmental medium to another.
The other main provisions of the Directive are as follows:
—all new and existing hazardous waste incineration plants will be licensable;
—controls will apply to the reception and handling of wastes;
—very stringent emission limit values are set for a range of atmospheric pollutants together with detailed monitoring procedures to ensure compliance;
—in particular, provision is made in respect of emissions of dioxins and furans;
—requirements are also specified for waste water discharges from incineration plants and for dealing with the disposal or recovery of any residues arising.
The Directive will apply to new incineration plants from 1995 and to existing plants from 1999.
