HC Deb 22 May 1981 vol 5 cc195-7W
Mr. Michael Morris

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which environmental measures have been enacted by the European Community since 1973; what benefits the United Kingdom has derived from these; and whether any of these directives were the result of British initiatives.

Mr. King

A list of the environmental measures adopted by the Council since 1973 is attached.

A significant proportion of the directives have been made under the programme for the removal of technical barriers to trade. As such, they are contributing to the improvement of the operation of the common market from which all member States, including the United Kingdom, benefit. Most of the remainder set quality objectives and standards at community level for environmental protection, the attainment of which will not only improve environmental quality in the Community but ensure that there is some consistency in the environmental goals to be met by each member State.

The United Kingdom has particularly welcomed the benefits which should result from the implementation of the directive for conservation of wild birds, which will bring some other Community countries into line with the stricter requirements in force in the United Kindom for many years. The regulation on common rules for the importation into the Community of whale products was the direct result of a United Kingdom initiative.

Environmental Measures adopted by the Council since 1973

AIR POLLUTION

Air Pollution by gases from positive igniton engines 70/220/EEC

1st Amendment 74/290/EEC

2nd Amendment 77/102/EEC

3rd Amendment 78/665/EEC

Sulphur content of certain liquid fuels 75/716/EEC

Emission of pollutants from diesel engines for use in wheeled agricultural of forestry tractors 77/537/EEC

Lead content of petrol 78/611/EEC

Health protection standards for SO2 and particulates in the urban atmosphere 80/779/EEC

WATER POLLUTION

Quality of surface water intended for abstraction of drinking water 75/440/EEC

Quality of sea and freshwater for bathing 76/160/EEC

Pollution caused by certain dangeous substances discharged into the aquatic environment 76/464/EEC

Quality of fresh waters needing protection or improvement to support fish life 78/659/EEC

Methods of measurement and frequencies of sampling and analysis of surface water intended for abstraction of drinking water 79/869/EEC

Quality required of shellfish waters 79/923/EEC

Protection of groundwater against pollution by certain dangerous substances 80/68/EEC

Quality of water for human consumption 80/778/EEC

NOISE POLLUTION

Permissible sound levels and exhaust system of motor vehicles 70/157/EEC

Adaption 73/350/EEC

Amendment 77/212/EEC

Certain parts and characteristics of wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors 74/151EEC

Driver-perceived noise level of wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors 77/311/EEC

Permissible sound levels and exhaust system of motor cycles 78/1015/EEC

Determination of noise emission of construction plant and equipment 79/113/EEC

Limitation of noise emissions from subsonic aircraft 80/51/EEC

WASTE

Disposal of waste oils 75/439/EEC

Waste (Framework Directive) 75/442/EEC

Disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and terphenyls 76/403/EEC

Waste from the titanium dioxide industry 78/176/EEC

Toxic and dangerous wastes 78/319/EEC

DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES

6th Amendment to Directive 67/548/EEC on the approximation of laws, regulations and adminstrative provisions relating to classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances (notification scheme for chemicals)79/831/EEC

Marketing and Use of dangeous substances

Framework directive—Polychlorinated

biphenyls 76/769/EEC

Vinyl Chloride Monomers 78/142/EEC

Fancy lamps etc and Tris phosphate 79/663/EEC

Approximation of laws relating to detergents 73/404/EEC

Methods of testing the biodegradability of anionic surfactants 73/405/EEC

PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, LAND USE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Biological screening of the population for lead 77/312/EEC

Conservation of Wild Birds 79/409/EEC

Common rules for Imports of whale products 348/81