The public consultation for Ireland’s first National Implementation Report under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (known as the Aarhus Convention) was launched on 7 June 2013.  The Aarhus Convention lays down a set of basic rules...

The WFD has been the EU’s main water policy instrument for setting anti-pollution strategies, including measures progressively to reduce or phase out emissions of chemicals listed as priority substances. EQS determine the maximum concentration of a particular pollutant or group of pollutants in water, sediment (any material which is carried by water and settles to...

Directive 91/676/EEC on the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources, relates to management of farm wastes and run off to protect surface water and groundwater. The directive is implemented in Ireland by S.I. No. 101/2009  – European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice For Protection of Waters) Regulations 2009 which revoke, and re-enact with amendments,...

On 6th June 2013 the Environmental Protection Agency prosecuted Galway County Council for permitting discharges from the Waste Water Works at Kilronan, Inis Mór, Aran Islands without a certificate of authorisation from the Agency. This was the EPA’s first prosecution for a breach of the Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations. ECOS Environmental Consultants Limited

Have you ever wondered about the difference between Spring Water, Mineral Water, Sparkling Water and Tap Water. Directive 2003/40/EC established the list, concentration limits and labeling requirements for the constituents of natural mineral waters and the conditions for using ozone-enriched air for the treatment of natural mineral waters and spring waters. The directive was enabled...

There are a number of important deadlines relating to the Registration and Authorisation of chemicals happening under REACH, the EU chemicals Regulation during 2013. Irish companies in the business of manufacturing, importing or using chemicals may need to act ahead of these deadlines to ensure their business activities can continue.  Second Registration deadline – May...

Time and time again we come across businesses which have ended up with  unsustainable discharge licences primarily because they have not provided the licencing authority with the required information.  The applicant needs to be able to demonstrate to the licencing authority that a proposed or existing discharge can comply with the requirements of the Water...

The Priority Substances in Water Directive controls emissions, losses and discharges of so-called ‘priority substances’ to water by establishing environmental quality standards (EQSs) for them in water and requiring monitoring programmes.  The substances concerned include chemicals, certain metals, biocides, plant protection products and dioxins. For substances classified as priority hazardous substances, the legislation requires their...

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has conducted a new IT-based screen ing of all REACH intermediate registration dossiers, which has raised serious quality and potential compliance concerns. The concerned registrants have been directly informed via REACH-IT and are requested to review and update their dossiers with correct information over the next three months. After this...

The European Commission has lowered the fees and charges that small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have to pay to register chemicals by 35% to 95% in relation to standard registration fees, and from 25% to 90% in relation to standard fees for authorisation requests. Registration makes companies responsible for the safe use of chemicals...