EU member countries and the European Parliament said Wednesday (November 29) they have reached a preliminary agreement on curbing industrial emissions, including those from intensive poultry and pig farms and from ore mines
The deal, struck late Tuesday, would “reduce harmful emissions from industry and improve public access to information,” the European Council, representing member states, said in a statement, printed on France 24.
The lead EU lawmaker on the file, Radan Kanev, said it would “significantly” reduce emissions “without creating further red tape for industries and farmers” while bringing in stiff fines for companies violating it.
The agreement, which still has to be formally adopted, aims to bring down air, soil and water pollution from companies by revising existing rules on emissions and landfill waste.
It would also update a European pollutant release and transfer register known as E-PRTR.
The parliament noted in a statement that emissions from big agricultural companies can lead to health problems “such as asthma, bronchitis and cancer”.
Under the new regulations, industrial mining of ores such as iron, copper, gold, nickel and platinum will be included, and the European Commission may end up including the mining of industrial minerals at a later stage.
Each EU country would be responsible for issuing permits to companies affected by the rules, if they can show they meet relevant standards.
