§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Council of Environment Ministers meeting on 24 November.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI chaired the Council of Environment Ministers on 24 November. My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State led the United Kingdom delegation. This was a successful meeting at which agreement was reached on a number of important issues. In particular three directives which have been before the Council for a considerable time were agreed.
As my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) was able to report to a Committee of the House yesterday, useful improvements on the Commission's proposals for revised standards for noise from new motorcycles were negotiated. We can now give our formal agreement to an amendment strengthening the provisions of directive 78/1015/EEC. The detailed elements are as follows. European standards for replacement silencers will form a further provision of this new directive.
The Council was able to agree a common position on the proposal for a directive on the prevention of environmental pollution by asbestos. The directive aims to prevent asbestos emissions from various sources endangering public health in the Community and contaminating the environment. Member states will be required to ensure that asbestos emissions into the air, asbestos discharges into water and asbestos waste are as far as possible reduced at source or prevented.
The Council also agreed a directive strengthening the provisions of the existing directive 75/439/EEC on the disposal of waste oils. The principal new features are Community emissions limits for combustion installations above 3MW, national controls for combustion in installations below this threshold and a maximum permissible limit for PCBs of 50ppm in regenerated waste oils or in waste oils used as fuel. It was, however, agreed that PCB levels should, wherever possible, be kept below this figure.
The Council formally adopted directives on animal experimentation and the Community water quality information system.
Following discussion of the implications of recent Rhine pollution incidents, the Council adopted a 319W resolution inviting the Commission to review present Community preventive and remedial measures, including the extent of their implementation, and if necessary to present appropriate proposals; and also inviting the Commission to examine the possibility of negotiating bilateral or multilateral agreements with European third countries on the extension of directive 82/501/EEC on major industrial accident hazards and of decision 81/971/EEC on the Community's information system for the control and reduction of pollution caused by hydrocarbons discharged at sea.
An interim resolution welcoming the Commission's proposals for a fourth environmental action programme and commending it for further study was also agreed.
There was a wide ranging discussion on the primordial importance of protecting the public and the environment from harm from nuclear radiation. The Council agreed to consider proposals which the Commission expects to put forward soon.
The Presidency presented a compromise for the large combustion plant directive that promised new acid-free standards for future large combustion plans, and staged reductions in SO2 emissions. The United Kingdom was able to support this. The Council then discussed draft conclusions on the basis for further action, prepared by the Presidency with the assistance of the Commission; unfortunately, a number of member states were unable to agree, and no formal decisions could therefore be reached.
Useful progress was made in discussion on diesel particulates from cars and gaseous emissions from large vehicles. It was also agreed that the Commission would shortly bring forward proposals on harmonisation of speed limits in the Community, and on powers for member states to control the scale of leaded regular petrol.
On the control of chlorofluorocarbons, the Council agreed that the framework of the Community's policy was basically sound, but would keep it under review, recognising that modifications, such as a limit on production, might be required in the light of advancing scientific and technical knowledge.
The Council made some further progress on the draft directive on the sulphur content of gas oil, but was unable to reach final agreement.
The United Kingdom called for Community action on lead in paint, and on antifouling paints containing organotin, and the Commission agreed to consider bringing forward proposals early next year. The United Kingdom also tabled a paper urging upon member states the principals of openness concerning environmental pollution recommended by the tenth report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution and accepted by the Government in its response to that report.
320W
Category of motorcycle Maximum Permissible Sound Level in dB (to be a revised test procedure) Stage I Stage II Under 80 cc 77 75 80–175 cc 79 77 Over 175 cc 82 80 Dates of entry into force of stages I and II 1. Motorcycles under 80 cc or over 175 cc Stage I Stage II New type approvals 1 October 1988 1 October 1993 All new vehicles 1 October 1990 1 October 1995
Category of motorcycle Maximum Permissible Sound Level in dB (to be a revised test procedure) Stage I Stage II 2. Motorcycles from 89 cc to 175 cc New type approvals 1 October 1989 end of 19941 All new vehicles 1 October 1990 end of 19961 1Before the end of 1994 the Council, acting on possible proposals from the Commission, may agree other dates.