HC Deb 10 March 1986 vol 93 cc341-2W
Mr. Moynihan

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Council of Environment Ministers' meeting on 6 March.

Mr. Waldegrave

I represented the United Kingdom at this meeting.

The Council agreed the text of a proposed directive extending the implementation of the 1976 directive (76/464/EEC) on the discharge of dangerous substances to water. It includes a set of standard articles, and an annex with details of emission limit values and environmental quality standards which will be required for DDT, pentachlorophenol and carbon tetrachloride. The Council asked that the Commission should, in bringing forward further proposals for substances for inclusion in the annex, respect the criteria set out in the parent directive—toxicity, persistence, bioaccumulation— and give priority to substances likely to be present in Community waters at levels which cause particularly important environmental problems.

The Council also agreed the principles of a proposed directive amending the 1984 directive (84/631/EEC) on the transfrontier shipment of hazardous waste. The amendments would control movements of hazardous waste to countries outside the Community for disposal.

The Council held a preliminary exchange of views on priorities for the fourth environment action programme.

The Council reached a substantial measure of agreement on a proposed directive on the use of sewage sludge in agriculture, and gave further consideration to proposed directives on the control of polluting emissions from large combustion plants and on the sulphur content of gas oil.

The Council took note of an oral report by the Commission on preparations for the European Year of the Environment, which starts in March 1987.