Directive amendments propose strict pollutant controls
The Council of the European Communities has recently debated proposed amendments to the European Directive 88/609 on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants. The aim of the proposal is to reduce the emissions of acidifying pollutants and ozone precursors, which are carried over very long distances and damage both human health and the environment. The proposal amends the 10-year old Directive for large combustion plants (LCPs) and intends to tighten the Community's curbs on air pollution from new power plants. It encourages the combined generation of heat and power (CHP) and the use of biomass as a fuel. It also calls for emission-limit values (ELVs) for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and dust to be twice as strict as the current ones. The proposal envisages broadening the scope of the Directive to gas turbines to regulate nitrogen oxide emissions and it provides for reinforced monitoring of emissions for existing installations and reviews the provisions concerning abnormal operating conditions. The general objective of the proposal was welcomed by all delegations. However, two delegations thought that its implementation would require disproportionate efforts from countries unaffected by the problem of acidification. Several delegations pointed out that the proposed ELVs would do little to reduce acidification, as they would not apply to the main polluters. They therefore argued in favour of setting specific limit values for these plants as well. Several Ministers argued that the values for new combustion plants were too low, as further reductions could be achieved using the best available techniques. The proposal will now be revised before being returned to the Council for further debate.