On Wednesday of last week, European Union officials agreed to place new limits on the amounts of industrial pollutants that are considered acceptable. Critics of the new limits argue that the EU, while making improvements to environmental standards, failed to get tough enough to make a major difference. The new rules were set in place after a meeting of EU government officials in Luxembourg. The regulations will limit emissions of sulfur and nitrogen compounds, dust particles, and heavy metals, in an effort to reduce air as well as water and soil pollution.
In addition, asbestos will also be more carefully watched. Asbestos exposure increases a person’s risk for developing lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, COPD and other respiratory ailments.
The new regulations will apply to facilities in the heavy industries field, such as steel mills, power plants and oil refineries. These industries will be required to adopt new “green” techniques by 2016. In addition, each nation must adhere to their governments nationally agreed upon pollution limits. However, the new regulations have a few blind spots where some existing operations are concerned; for example, the coal-fired power stations will have until 2020 to clean up their act. Carbon dioxide emissions were also not dealt with in the new regulations.
British Environment Secretary Hillary Benn is pleased with the new regulations. "In particular the agreement will help ensure a smooth transition to low emissions and low carbon power generation by 2020 and beyond, without risking locking in continuing high carbon energy generation," he said. Now that the legislation has been approved, it must face additional review by the European parliament, a process that can take at least six months.