In 2005, the Environment Agency performed an exercise on behalf of the UK Technical Advisory Group (UKTAG) to prioritise the Dangerous Substances Directive (DSD) 76/464/EEC List II substances that had not at that time been considered as specific pollutants under the WFD. Substances already identified as WFD Annex X priority substances/priority hazardous substances, those that were no longer authorised for use and chemicals unsuitable for going through the prioritisation process were also removed from the list of chemicals to consider. The prioritisation of the remaining substances covered under the existing DSD Regulations took into account relevant monitoring data for five years (up to and including 2003), usage data and hazard information. As a result of this exercise, a number of substances were identified as candidates for WFD standards derivation and have subsequently undergone review.
Scoping study for Dangerous Substances Directive List II chemicals
However, 12 List II substances under the DSD were not scheduled as specific pollutants and UKTAG considered that existing measures and policies for these substances would deliver progressive reductions without the need for further action at this time. However, the DSD will be repealed in 2013 and consequently the current EQS values for these 12 substances will no longer stand. UKTAG also concluded that the situation with respect to these substances would need to be reviewed before the repeal of the DSD to identify if any of them are still being discharged in significant quantities. If this is found to be the case, the UKTAG will bring forward proposals for the derivation of EQSs.
This scoping study reviews the situation for these 12 substances, as proposed by UKTAG, to determine if the EQSs for all or some of these chemicals can be repealed or whether additional work on the development of EQSs needs to be carried out before 2013.
Categories:
Publication Date:
01-April-2012
Advisory Group:
UKTAG
