Considerations on COM(1998)415 - Amendment of Directive 88/609/EEC on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants - Main contents
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| dossier | COM(1998)415 - Amendment of Directive 88/609/EEC on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion ... |
|---|---|
| document | COM(1998)415  |
| date | October 23, 2001 |
(2) The Fifth Environmental Action Programme(5) sets as objectives that the critical loads and levels of certain acidifying pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) should not be exceeded at any time and, as regards air quality, that all people should be effectively protected against recognised health risks from air pollution.
(3) All Member States have signed the Gothenburg Protocol of 1 December 1999 to the 1979 Convention of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) on long-range transboundary air pollution to abate acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone, which includes, inter alia, commitments to reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen.
(4) The Commission has published a Communication on a Community strategy to combat acidification in which the revision of Directive 88/609/EEC was identified as being an integral component of that strategy with the long term aim of reducing emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides sufficiently to bring depositions and concentrations down to levels below the critical loads and levels.
(5) In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty, the objective of reducing acidifying emissions from large combustion plants cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States acting individually and unconcerted action offers no guarantee of achieving the desired objective; in view of the need to reduce acidifying emissions across the Community, it is more effective to take action at Community level.
(6) Existing large combustion plants are significant contributors to emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the Community and it is necessary to reduce these emissions. It is therefore necessary to adapt the approach to the different characteristics of the large combustion plant sector in the Member States.
(7) Council Directive 96/61/EC of 24 September 1996 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control(6) sets out an integrated approach to pollution prevention and control in which all the aspects of an installation's environmental performance are considered in an integrated manner; combustion installations with a rated thermal input exceeding 50 MW are included within the scope of that Directive; pursuant to Article 15(3) of that Directive an inventory of the principal emissions and sources responsible is to be published every three years by the Commission on the basis of data supplied by the Member States. Pursuant to Article 18 of that Directive, acting on a proposal from the Commission, the Council will set emission limit values in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Treaty for which the need for Community action has been identified, on the basis, in particular, of the exchange of information provided for in Article 16 of that Directive.
(8) Compliance with the emission limit values laid down by this Directive should be regarded as a necessary but not sufficient condition for compliance with the requirements of Directive 96/61/EC regarding the use of best available techniques. Such compliance may involve more stringent emission limit values, emission limit values for other substances and other media, and other appropriate conditions.
(9) Industrial experience in the implementation of techniques for the reduction of polluting emissions from large combustion plants has been acquired over a period of 15 years.
(10) The Protocol on heavy metals to the UNECE Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution recommends the adoption of measures to reduce heavy metals emitted by certain installations. It is known that benefits from reducing dust emissions by dust abatement equipment will provide benefits on reducing particle-bound heavy metal emissions.
(11) Installations for the production of electricity represent an important part of the large combustion plant sector.
(12) Directive 96/92/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 1996 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity(7) is intended inter alia to have the effect of distributing new production capacity among new arrivals in the sector.
(13) The Community is committed to a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. Where it is feasible the combined production of heat and electricity represents a valuable opportunity for significantly improving overall efficiency in fuel use.
(14) A significant increase in the use of natural gas for producing electricity is already underway and is likely to continue, in particular through the use of gas turbines.
(15) In view of the increase in energy production from biomass, specific emission standards for this fuel are justified.
(16) The Council Resolution of 24 February 1997 on a Community strategy for waste management(8) emphasises the need for promoting waste recovery and states that appropriate emission standards should apply to the operation of facilities in which waste is incinerated in order to ensure a high level of protection for the environment.
(17) Industrial experience has been gained concerning techniques and equipment for the measurement of the principal pollutants emitted by large combustion plants; the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) has undertaken work with the aim of providing a framework securing comparable measurement results within the Community and guaranteeing a high level of quality of such measurements.
(18) There is a need to improve knowledge concerning the emission of the principal pollutants from large combustion plants. In order to be genuinely representative of the level of pollution of an installation, such information should also be associated with knowledge concerning its energy consumption.
(19) This Directive is without prejudice to the time limits within which the Member States must transpose and implement Directive 88/609/EEC.