The European Union is currently reshaping its clean air policy by launching a new generation of ambient air quality directives, which will substitute those currently in place for a selected list of priority pollutants. The process reached its first stage in September 1996, when the Council Directive on Ambient Air Quality Assessment and Management, better known as the Framework Directive (FD), was adopted (Council Directive, 1996). The FD contains a list of 13 priority pollutants i.e., O3, NO2, SO2, TSP, Pb, As, Cd, Ni, and Hg which have to be taken into consideration when assessing and managing ambient air quality. Regulations for these pollutants are laid down in the daughter legislation to the FD. In establishing the daughter legislation, the Commission has launched a process of broad participation of principal stakeholders such as the member states, industry, NGOs and scientific and technical European organisations i.e., CEN, EMEP, EEA, and WHO Europe. The paper point out the ongoing research on mercury highlighting the needs for improving the knowledge of certain specific aspects necessary to support the implementation of the new Mercury Directive in Europe.
Mercury Research in Europe: Towards the preparation of the New EU Air Quality Directive.
Pirrone N
2001
Abstract
The European Union is currently reshaping its clean air policy by launching a new generation of ambient air quality directives, which will substitute those currently in place for a selected list of priority pollutants. The process reached its first stage in September 1996, when the Council Directive on Ambient Air Quality Assessment and Management, better known as the Framework Directive (FD), was adopted (Council Directive, 1996). The FD contains a list of 13 priority pollutants i.e., O3, NO2, SO2, TSP, Pb, As, Cd, Ni, and Hg which have to be taken into consideration when assessing and managing ambient air quality. Regulations for these pollutants are laid down in the daughter legislation to the FD. In establishing the daughter legislation, the Commission has launched a process of broad participation of principal stakeholders such as the member states, industry, NGOs and scientific and technical European organisations i.e., CEN, EMEP, EEA, and WHO Europe. The paper point out the ongoing research on mercury highlighting the needs for improving the knowledge of certain specific aspects necessary to support the implementation of the new Mercury Directive in Europe.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
