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European parliament: Asbestos
REGIONAL ACTIVITIES
European Parliament: Asbestos (a) Progress on Safety System (Written question by Mrs. Buchan) British industry has for some time been adapting itself to new and much higher safety standards in the handling of asbestos. As a result it is one of the few industries within the Community complying with most of the requirements of EEC's proposals on asbestos. At the present time, the manufacture of pipes has been cut down drastically, with the result that pipes with pitch coverings are being imported into the United Kingdom. These pipes are actually comprised in part of blue asbestos which is banned in Britain. Further, in the brake lining industry, certain substitutes are used and some, which are greatly inferior to British standards, are being imported from the Continent. The result is a threat to British manufacturing industry in this sphere and a reduction of safety standards in the work environment. Would the Commission please state: 1. What progress has been made within the EEC towards bringing about a standard system of safety on the lines suggested by the Simpson report? 2. What steps have been taken to ensure that any proposed action will have the effect of bringing safety standards up to at least the highest standards for the handling of asbestos now in force within the EEC ? 3. What action does the Commission intend to take to prevent the importation into Britain of products containing asbestos of a lower environmental safety standard than currently permitted in Britain, or products produced in a working environment the safety standards of which are below those permitted in Britain (such lower standards being assumed to give the products a manufacturing cost and consequent sale price advantage)? Answer given by Mr. Richard on behalf of the Commission: 1 and 2. The Council Directive of 27th November 1980 on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to chemical, physical and biological agents at work already contains in Article 3.3. two measures that relate to asbestos. Pursuant to Article 8 of this 170
Directive, the Commission has made a Proposal for a second Council Directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to agents at work: asbestos and which has as its aim the protection of workers against risks to their health and safety, including the prevention of such risks arising or likely to arise at work from exposure to asbestos, by laying down limit values and other specific requirements. Moreover the Commission has submitted on 7th March 1980 a proposal for a Council Directive amending for the fifth time Directive 76/69/EEC concerning the restriction on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparation. This Directive contains provisions for use of different types of asbestos fibres and prohibitions on marketing and use in certain cases. These proposals are in line with the resolution of the European Parliament on the danger of asbestos to health,
adopted in its session of 16th December 1977. They are based on the EEC Treaty and in particular Article 100, and therefore the opinion of the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee has already been requested. The Commission is studying the possibility of concluding a 'Convention for the quality of life' in the field of pollution by asbestos fibres. The preliminary study is already finished and the discussion phase will begin at an early date. 3. The Commission does not envisage to take measures in addition to those mentioned above. (b) Ban on Blue Asbestos (Written question by Mrs. Ewing) Will the Commission reconsider the question of the ban on blue asbestos? Answer given by Mr. Narjes on behalf of the Commission: On 7th March 1980 the Commission presented to the Council a proposal for a Directive relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (asbestos). Any changes in the conditions of use of blue asbestos (crocidolite) might be made once Parliament has delivered its opinion on the proposal. []
Reduction of Lead Additives in Petrol ~(Written question
by Mr. Linkohr and
Mrs. Weber) 1. How does the Commission view the possibility of laying down new limits on the emission of vehicle exhaust gases lower than the levels permitted under the Council Directive of 29 June 1978. 2. Is the Commission prepared to draw up a new Directive which takes account of both the noxious effects of lead additives in petrol and recent technical developments, for example in the case of exhaust catalysers? If so, is it prepared to go below the limit of 0.15 g lead per litre petrol? 3. The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany has proposed to the UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) and to the European Community a reduction of about 50% in the permitted levels of pollutants in vehicle exhaust gases. Can the Commission give details of its reply to the proposal by the German Government? Answer given by Mr. Narjes on behalf of the Commission:
1. The Commission introduced limits on exhaust emissions from motor vehicles as early as 1970 in Directive 70/220/ EEC. The limits have been tightened successively by three Directives (74/ 290/EEC, 77/102/EEC, 78/665/EEC); work on tightening them for a fourth time is to begin very soon. The emission standards adopted by the EEC are identical to those drawn up within the broader framework of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), Geneva. The repeated lowering of emission limits was the fruit of close collaboration between the EEC and the working parties of the ECE and of the Member States of the Community takhag a common line. The reduction in the limits on emissions of the regulated pollutants - carbon monoxide (CO), unburnt hydrocarbons (HC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) - are illustrated below by taking a medium-sized vehicle (1 130 kg) as an example. Compared with the original limits set for CO and HC in Directive 70/220/EEC and for NOx in Directive 77/102/EEC, the figures laid down in
Environmental Policy and Law, 7 (1981)
European Parliament: Asbestos (a) Progress on Safety System (Written question by Mrs. Buchan) British industry has for some time been adapting itself to new and much higher safety standards in the handling of asbestos. As a result it is one of the few industries within the Community complying with most of the requirements of EEC's proposals on asbestos. At the present time, the manufacture of pipes has been cut down drastically, with the result that pipes with pitch coverings are being imported into the United Kingdom. These pipes are actually comprised in part of blue asbestos which is banned in Britain. Further, in the brake lining industry, certain substitutes are used and some, which are greatly inferior to British standards, are being imported from the Continent. The result is a threat to British manufacturing industry in this sphere and a reduction of safety standards in the work environment. Would the Commission please state: 1. What progress has been made within the EEC towards bringing about a standard system of safety on the lines suggested by the Simpson report? 2. What steps have been taken to ensure that any proposed action will have the effect of bringing safety standards up to at least the highest standards for the handling of asbestos now in force within the EEC ? 3. What action does the Commission intend to take to prevent the importation into Britain of products containing asbestos of a lower environmental safety standard than currently permitted in Britain, or products produced in a working environment the safety standards of which are below those permitted in Britain (such lower standards being assumed to give the products a manufacturing cost and consequent sale price advantage)? Answer given by Mr. Richard on behalf of the Commission: 1 and 2. The Council Directive of 27th November 1980 on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to chemical, physical and biological agents at work already contains in Article 3.3. two measures that relate to asbestos. Pursuant to Article 8 of this 170
Directive, the Commission has made a Proposal for a second Council Directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to agents at work: asbestos and which has as its aim the protection of workers against risks to their health and safety, including the prevention of such risks arising or likely to arise at work from exposure to asbestos, by laying down limit values and other specific requirements. Moreover the Commission has submitted on 7th March 1980 a proposal for a Council Directive amending for the fifth time Directive 76/69/EEC concerning the restriction on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparation. This Directive contains provisions for use of different types of asbestos fibres and prohibitions on marketing and use in certain cases. These proposals are in line with the resolution of the European Parliament on the danger of asbestos to health,
adopted in its session of 16th December 1977. They are based on the EEC Treaty and in particular Article 100, and therefore the opinion of the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee has already been requested. The Commission is studying the possibility of concluding a 'Convention for the quality of life' in the field of pollution by asbestos fibres. The preliminary study is already finished and the discussion phase will begin at an early date. 3. The Commission does not envisage to take measures in addition to those mentioned above. (b) Ban on Blue Asbestos (Written question by Mrs. Ewing) Will the Commission reconsider the question of the ban on blue asbestos? Answer given by Mr. Narjes on behalf of the Commission: On 7th March 1980 the Commission presented to the Council a proposal for a Directive relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (asbestos). Any changes in the conditions of use of blue asbestos (crocidolite) might be made once Parliament has delivered its opinion on the proposal. []
Reduction of Lead Additives in Petrol ~(Written question
by Mr. Linkohr and
Mrs. Weber) 1. How does the Commission view the possibility of laying down new limits on the emission of vehicle exhaust gases lower than the levels permitted under the Council Directive of 29 June 1978. 2. Is the Commission prepared to draw up a new Directive which takes account of both the noxious effects of lead additives in petrol and recent technical developments, for example in the case of exhaust catalysers? If so, is it prepared to go below the limit of 0.15 g lead per litre petrol? 3. The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany has proposed to the UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) and to the European Community a reduction of about 50% in the permitted levels of pollutants in vehicle exhaust gases. Can the Commission give details of its reply to the proposal by the German Government? Answer given by Mr. Narjes on behalf of the Commission:
1. The Commission introduced limits on exhaust emissions from motor vehicles as early as 1970 in Directive 70/220/ EEC. The limits have been tightened successively by three Directives (74/ 290/EEC, 77/102/EEC, 78/665/EEC); work on tightening them for a fourth time is to begin very soon. The emission standards adopted by the EEC are identical to those drawn up within the broader framework of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), Geneva. The repeated lowering of emission limits was the fruit of close collaboration between the EEC and the working parties of the ECE and of the Member States of the Community takhag a common line. The reduction in the limits on emissions of the regulated pollutants - carbon monoxide (CO), unburnt hydrocarbons (HC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) - are illustrated below by taking a medium-sized vehicle (1 130 kg) as an example. Compared with the original limits set for CO and HC in Directive 70/220/EEC and for NOx in Directive 77/102/EEC, the figures laid down in
Environmental Policy and Law, 7 (1981)