Est. 2min 22-05-2008 (updated: 28-05-2012 ) dimas2.jpg Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Languages: Français | DeutschPrint Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram In a move broadly acclaimed by health and environmental groups, the European Parliament voted yesterday to back a compromise deal to ban all mercury exports from the EU in 2011 and improve the safety of surplus storage. In a second reading vote on Wednesday (21 May), the Parliament gave its formal seal of approval to a compromise deal reached previously with member state diplomats in the EU Council of Ministers. The text, a regulation that will directly apply into the EU’s 27 national legal systems, will now be forwarded to environment ministers for a final rubber-stamping at a meeting on 5 June. Importing mercury will still be possible The compromise includes adding two compounds – mercurous chloride and mercuric oxide – to the list of substances banned for export, according to a statement by the European Commission. It also brings forward the export ban and storage obligations to March 2011, a few months earlier than originally planned. Exports of mercury mixtures will now also be banned if the other component contains at least 95% of the substance. However, demands by the European Parliament to impose a ban on mercury imports were rejected as impractical. And calls to extend the scope of the export ban to mercury-containing products already prohibited in the EU were also dismissed. Storage to be made safer On the storage aspect, it was agreed that mercury waste should be kept “in a way that is safe for human health and the environment” before eventually being disposed of. Such places include abandoned salt mines, deep underground hard rock formations or specific safe storage facilities above the ground. But to the disappointment of environmental groups, permanent underground disposal of liquid mercury will still be a possibility. However, this can only be done if measures to transform the liquid mercury into a solid compound are explored first. The NGOs said they hoped that “provided that an environmentally safe solidification process is available soon, it will become mandatory requirement”. Read more with Euractiv EU business, farmers criticise new WTO proposals Despite optimism from World Trade Organisation officials that new negotiating drafts presented on 19 and 20 May will act as a "springboard" towards achieving a global trade pact, the EU and its major trading partners have reacted cautiously. Subscribe now to our newsletter EU Elections Decoded Email Address * Politics Newsletters Positions Stavros Dimas, the EU's environment commissioner, welcomed the agreement, saying: "It is absolutely vital that this highly toxic chemical be banned for export and that the supply of mercury currently in circulation be safely stored. Let us set the example for other countries to follow in reducing emissions of this dangerous substance." Environmental and health NGOs said they were broadly pleased with the outcome. "Although we would have liked to see a more robust regulation, this agreement between the two institutions is a very good step towards locking down mercury in the EU," said Elena Lymberidi-Settimo, a project coordinator for the Zero Mercury Campaign at the European Environmental Bureau (EEB). But Lisette van Vliet, a campaigner at Health Care Without Harm Europe deplored the fact that medical devices containing mercury which are already banned in the EU - such as thermometers – will still be eligible for export under the new scheme. "We do regret that mercury-containing products which are forbidden in Europe were not included in the export ban, because we believe it constitutes a double standard that hurts public health," van Vliet said. BackgroundThe Commission first presented its proposal for a regulation to control mercury back in 2006 (EURACTIV 26/10/06). It contained a proposal to ban mercury exports as well as measures for safer storage but did not propose a ban on imports, which was later introduced by Parliament at first reading (EURACTIV 20/06/07). Mercury contamination comes from a wide variety of sources, including waste recycling and industrial facilities involved in cleaning non-ferrous metals and natural gas. In the EU, the chlor-alkali industry remains the largest single user of mercury and has already committed to either close or convert its mercury plants by 2020 at the latest. According to the Commission, the EU stopped all forms of mercury mining in 2001. However, it has continued to export considerable amounts of mercury – up to 25% of worldwide supply. This, it said, is adding to the global pool of mercury released into the biosphere, increasing the risks to human health and the environment. Timeline 5 June 2008: Environment Council to rubber-stamp final agreement. By March 2013: Commission to present a review of the regulation with possible further proposals. Further ReadingEU official documents Parliament:Report on the banning of exports and the safe storage of metallic mercury FR FR DE Parliament:Compromise amendemnts adopted on 21 May 2008 FR FR DE Commission:Mercury strategy EU Actors positions Environmental and health NGOs alliance:Press release - "EU set to lock down mercury"(21 May 2008) EuroChlor:Win-win outcome on mrecury for environment and industry(29 June 2007)
