(14/11/06) Europese christen-democraten weigeren ban op kwik

• 2006-11-14

Bij een stemming vanmiddag in het Europees Parlement hebben de Europese christen-democraten en conservatieven een voorakkoord over het bannen van kwik afgeschoten. Ze dienden daartoe een amendement in dat het haalde met 327 voor, 278 tegen en 14 onthoudingen. CD&V-NVA, VLD en VB stemden voor het amendement. SPa stemde verdeeld en Groen! stemde tegen.

Tussen de politieke groepen was nochtans afgesproken om het gebruik van kwik in meetinstrumenten (koortsthermometers, maar ook bv. barometers of bloeddrukmeters) zonder meer te verbieden. Kwik is zeer giftig. Jaarlijks komen er tonnen in de afvalverwerking terecht. Door de houding van de Europese Volkspartij wordt het nu zeer onwaarschijnlijk dat het tot een akkoord komt voor de goedkeuring van REACH. Daarna zal kwik onder deze regelgeving vallen en kan het jaren wachten zijn vooraleer er een decente regeling komt. De Europese Groenen noemen het een schande dat een handvol producenten van barometers een heel continent in de maling kan nemen.

Toxic substances (mercury)
EP reneges on agreement, jeopardising mercury ban

Following today's vote by the European Parliament to exempt barometers from an EU ban on mercury in measuring devices, Swedish Green MEP and environment spokesman Carl Schlyter said:
"Today's decision of the EP to exempt barometers from an EU ban on mercury in measuring devices risks completely derailing this important legislative proposal on this highly toxic substance. It is a disgrace that a handful of small producers of new barometers should be able to hold public health to ransom by de facto blocking an agreement on the phase out mercury in fever thermometers and it is irresponsible of those MEPs who have pushed for this.

"The EP and Council had agreed on a text on the phase out of mercury from all measuring devices (with an exemption for antique barometers), however today's vote in the EP reneges on that agreement and casts serious doubt over the possibility of finalising this legislation prior to the REACH regulation. If we fail to agree on the phase-out of mercury in measuring devices prior to finalising REACH, it could be years before a proper ban on this toxic substance is adopted (1).

"Mercury-based measuring devices (e.g. fever thermometers, devices for the measurement of blood pressure , barometers) have been estimated to account for the release of about 8 tons/year from a consumption of 33 tons/ year, with an additional 27 tons entering the waste stream from old equipment. Mercury is highly toxic and poses a global and chronic problem and it would be a major setback for the environment if the EU failed to introduce these restrictions."

Editors notes:

(1) In order to ensure a first reading agreement on this proposal, in advance of REACH being finalised, the four biggest political groups in the EP and Council had agreed on a proposal to ban mercury in all fever thermometers and in all measuring devices for sale to the general public. Today's EP vote overturns that agreement by granting an exemption to producers of barometers and thus jeopardises the prospects for ensuring a first reading agreement in advance of the final agreement on REACH. If there is no agreement prior to REACH, a mercury restriction would then have to be introduced under the REACH framework after it has come into force - this would likely delay any action on mercury for a number of years.