|
GREEN PAPER on Environmental issues of PVC
COM (2000)469, 26 July 2000
(comments on the Green Paper are available
at the bottom of this page)
The Green Paper on environmental issues of PVC
follows the commitment of the Commission, made in its Proposal for
a Directive on end of life vehicles, to assess the impact of PVC
wastes on the environment and to come forward with proposals to
address problems which may arise in this regard.
The Green Paper is mainly based on the results
of a comprehensive study programme launched by the Commission in
1999-2000, which examined all relevant aspects. Studies dealt with
mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, landfill, incineration,
and the economic implications of a diversion of PVC waste from incineration.
A number of issues regarding PVC and its impact
on the environment have been identified and analysed in the Green
Paper:
-
The PVC industry and its products: structure
of the industry, production processes, range of products, economic
importance
-
Additives: quantities used, hazards, and risks
of additives, in particular heavy metal stabilisers and phthalate
plasticisers
-
Management of PVC wastes: current quantities
and treatment routes, future development
-
Recycling of PVC wastes: processes and potential
quantities for mechanical and chemical (feedstock) recycling
and other technologies
-
Incineration of PVC wastes: technologies, residues,
costs of incineration, evaluation of a potential diversion of
PVC from incineration
-
Landfilling of PVC wastes: behaviour under
landfill conditions.
The Green paper lists a range of measures, mandatory
as well as voluntary, that are available to implement a horizontal
Community strategy on PVC in order to address the problems that
have been identified during the above mentioned analysis. The European
PVC industry has signed a voluntary commitment on the sustainable
development of PVC, which among others addresses the reduction of
the use of certain heavy metal stabilisers, the mechanical recycling
of certain post consumer wastes and the development of further recycling
technologies. Legislative measures, such as a Proposal for a Directive
on PVC, or a mix of instruments such as the adaptation of existing
Directives, Recommendations to the Member States and further environmental
agreements (COM (2002) 412) could also be adopted.
The following documents are available by clicking
the language icons below.
Press releases:
Commission launches consultation on environmental
issues of PVC
          
Green Paper on environmental issues of PVC
Full text of the Green Paper on environmental issues
of PVC
(pdf ~200K)
Reactions to the Green Paper on environmental issues of PVC
In the Green Paper the Commission invited all interested
parties to discuss and comment on this document before the end of
November 2000. A public hearing was organised in October 2000. On
the basis of the analyses developed in this document and the outcome
of this consultation process, the Commission will present
a Communication setting out a comprehensive Community strategy on
the environmental issues of PVC.
The Commission invited the European Parliament,
the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee
of the Regions as well as interested parties to discuss and comment
on the Green Paper. Comment were to be addressed to the Commission
before the end of November 2000.
All comments received can be consulted below.
Summary Results of
the Public Consultation (pdf ~30K)
European
Parliament resolution on the Commission Green Paper on environmental
issues of PVC
Comments from Member States (pdf ~80K)
Comments received are available in PDF
format ~50 pages each:
* * * Public
Hearing on PVC * * * |