1. Reduction of total releases from unintentional production of POPs
Katharina Spens
DG Environment, C.4 Industrial emissions

2. Background EU legislation in the area already in place
EU Dioxin Strategy
New study on releases – rough inventory to identify priority areas and possible measures
High uncertainties, many data gaps
No radically new findings
Expert consultation - replies largely positive
In the area of by-product POPs there is already extensive EU legislation, at least as regards industrial sources. Decreasing trends have been observed in the environment and in human exposure over the past decades. There is also a EU Dioxin Strategy that was adopted in However, to be get an updated picture of the situation as a background to the formulation of the CIP, we launched a new study to 1) get a rough inventory on emissions and an inventory of the measures in place to address them. It was seen in the study that there are extremely high uncertainties for some of the sources, especially domestic ones and that there are many data gaps. It was however possible to get an idea of the proportions and orders of magnitude of different sources. In principle, the results confirmed what had been seen in earlier inventories, e.g. the metals industry being responsible for a large share of industrial releases, and domestic sources getting increasligly important, as industrial emissions are being abated.
The results were submitted to expert consultation during summer and early autumn. We received some 25 replies that were very informative and constructive, and that were taken into account. They were laregly in agreement with what had been found in the study.

3. Present EU approach appropriate
Industrial sources (1)
Present EU approach appropriate
Integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC)
Best available techniques (BAT)
BAT reference documents (BREFs)
Waste Incineration Directive (WID)
Implementation important
Based on the study findings, the expert and Member State replies and information from available NIPs, the section on by-product POPs was formulated. For industrial sources it has been stated that the current EU approach is in principle appropriate. Industrial sources are regulated by the Directive on integrated pollution prevention and control, according to which industrial activities must have a permit for the operation. The conditions in this permit must correspond to what can be acheived by using so-called Best Available Techniques. It is determined at EU level what is Best Available Techniques, through information exchange among MS. The results are published in so-called BREFs or Best Available Techniqe Reference Documents. A large number of industrial sectors are covered by the IPPC Directive. However, in some areas there are sectoral directives. One that is especially important, in particular for dioxins, is the Waste incineration directive. In contrast to the IPPC directive it set an actual limit value for dioxin emission.
So, as I said, this area is largely regulated, but one thing that has been highlighted over and over again, and also in the comments from the consultation, is the proper implementation and enforcement of the legislation. So – implementation important.

4. Industrial sources (2) Review of IPPC in 2007 Adopted in 1996
Simplification and better regulation
Thematic Strategies
Interaction with other legislation
« Technical » amendments
Scope
The IPPC Directive is presently undergoing a review. Possible changes to the Directive will be proposed by the end of the year. In parallel, the Waste inceration directive is also being looked at. The reason for the review of the Directive are that it was adopted 10 year ago and a review is part of the normal policy cycle. There are also demands for simplification and better regulation, so the provisions of the Directive will be looked at from this point of view. In addition, the Commission has adopted a number of thematic strategy, for example on soil and air, which have some implications for the IPPC Directive. There is also a need to look at the interaction with other legislation, for example the sectoral industrial legislation. In addition some possible amendments of more technical nature, and the scope of the directive is being assessed.

5. Action 10: IPPC implementation
Industrial sources (3)
Action 10: IPPC implementation
Action 11: Attention to POPs in BREF work
Action 12: Assessment of inclusion of small combustion installations (20-50 MW) under IPPC
Action 13: Assessment of continuous measurements of dioxins for WID + potential relevance of dioxin-like PCBs
That was the background, and here I have listed the actions that will be undertaken in the area of industrial sources. First of all, the continued support to implementation of the IPPC Directive by applying the Action Plan that was set up for this purpose in Secondly, it will be ensured that the POP issue is being addressed in the development of the BREFs. Such documents have been adopted for all industrial sectors, and several of them will be reviewed in the coming years, so new and enhanced information on abatment techniques and techniques to reduce the formation of POPs will be included.
In the IPPC review the possibility of lowering the threshold is also being assessed. We don’t have very good figures, but it is beleived that smaller combustion installations contribute quite a lot to total releases since they are numerous. And finally, in the process of reviewing the waste incineration directive it will be assessed if continuous measurement can be applied, instead of the present practice of measuring twice a year. That would give far better data on actual emissions. It is also being looked at if it would be relevant and feasible to include dioxin-like PCBs in the monitoring altough the emission limit value only refers to dioxins and furans.

6. Increased relative importance confirmed by study and NIPs
Domestic sources (1)
Increased relative importance confirmed by study and NIPs
Residential heating with wood and coal
Uncontrolled open waste burning
Co-combustion of waste for heating
As concerns domestic sources, I mentioned earlier that they are becoming increasinly important.

7. Domestic sources (2)
Action 14: Labels and/or product standards for small combustion appliances
Action 15: Exchange of information and good practices regarding residential sources and awareness raising initiatives (suggestions for focus welcome!)

8. Monitoring and data gaps (1)
Availability and quality of emission factors a concern
New EPER (European pollutant emission register) data published in November 2006 (EU-25)
E-PRTR (European pollutant release and transfer register) adopted in 2006, first report to be published 2009
Lowered threshold for dioxins
PCB emissions included
E-PRTR guidance available

9. Monitoring and data gaps (2)
Action 16: Contribution to UNEP work on dioxin tool kit
Action 17: Support to validation of CEN standard to include dioxin-like PCBs
Action 18: Extended POP reporting under E-PRTR in 2009

10. Update on Dioxin Strategy
Adoption of legislation and recommendations on feed and food in 2006
Inclusion of dioxin-like PCBs and PAH in limit values
Detailed guidelines on monitoring of background levels of dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs and non-dioxin-like PCBs in food
Common methods for sampling and analysis for official control
Progress report in spring 2007 – summary of activities for food and environment, including research