Risk of illness if you drink contaminated water from private wells
The EPA estimate that 30% of private wells in Ireland are contaminated by E. coli arising from animal or human waste. HSE reports a growing number of cases of VTEC – a particularly nasty form of E.coli. Analysis of cases finds that patients are up to four times more likely to have consumed untreated water...
READ ARTICLE >Updated ECHA Guidance for downstream users
ECHA has published translations of the the updated Guidance for downstream users into 22 EU languages. The update addresses the need to provide more and up to date guidance on The application of scaling when checking whether a downstream user’s use of a substance is covered by the supplier’s exposure scenario The communication of information on the...
READ ARTICLE >Safer Products and Better Market Surveillance – Research and Development/Commercialiation
ECOS Environmental Consultants were pleased to hear that the European Parliament have voted in favour of new rules to improve the safety of consumer products circulating in the EU’s internal market – including those imported from outside the EU – and to step-up market surveillance concerning all non-food products. It is intended that this will contribute...
READ ARTICLE >Chemical Handling Directive aims to protect workers from exposure to hazardous chemicals
The new ‘Chemical Handling Directive’ 2014/27/EU proposes to better protect workers from risks linked to exposure to chemicals at the workplace. This Directive amends five existing EU health and safety Directives on protection of workers from exposure to harmful chemicals to align them with the latest rules on classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals (Regulation (EC) 1272/2008)....
READ ARTICLE >Drinking Water – Who is responsible
From 1st January 2014 Irish Water is responsible for the production, distribution and monitoring of drinking water from over 1000 public water supplies, serving 82.0% of the population. The remainder of the population is supplied by group water schemes (6.6%), small private supplies (0.8%) and private wells (10.6%) that are exempt under the Regulations. Responsibility for the water...
READ ARTICLE >Licences under the Industrial Emissions Directive are required for existing IPPC licence holders and new Business Categories
Deadlines for Licences to be in place under the Industrial Emissions Directive have been published. However, it is often quite alarming to find out that, many good business are not aware of new laws which could have serious implication for the sustainability and indeed the viability of their business activities. The Directive on industrial emissions 2010/75/EU...
READ ARTICLE >Key Responsibilities for EU importers of Chemical Substances and mixtures under the REACH, CLP and Rotterdam Regulations
The Irish Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has produced an information sheet which outlines the key responsibilities for EU importers of chemical substances and mixtures under the REACH, CLP and Rotterdam Regulations, for which the HSA is the relevant Competent Authority in Ireland. Import means the physical introduction into the customs territory of the EU....
READ ARTICLE >EIA Directive – Revised text approved by MEPs
Members of the European parliament’s environment committee have voted overwhelmingly in favour of passing the compromise text into law Following negations between the European commission, parliament and member states in November and December, amendments were made to the commission’s proposed new EIA Directive. On 12 February, members of the parliamentary environment committee voted in favour of...
READ ARTICLE >Anaerobic Digestion Capacity >75 tonnes per day will be subject to the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) from 2015
Anaerobic Digestion Capacity >75 tonnes per day will be subject to the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) from 2015. A review of EU industrial pollution guidance for waste treatment plants has begun. The existing technical reference document (BREF) was adopted by the European Commission in 2006. It outlines the best available techniques (BAT) and associated emission levels...
READ ARTICLE >Expiry dates for CoPR Product Approvals – Impact of the new EU Biocides Regulation (EC 528/2012) and Regulation (EU 736/2013) to extend the biocide active substance review programme
The publication of Regulation (EU) No 736/2013 extending the biocide active substance review programme and the implementation of the new EU Biocides Regulation 528/2012 (EU BPR) on 1 September 2013, will have a significant impact on the expiry dates of COPR-approved products (both new and existing). The European Commission has published Regulation (EU) No 736/2013...
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