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- March 23rd, 2011 |
The first deadline for registration is 30 November 2010. Failure to register entails a prohibition of production or importation of a chemical: the undertakings concerned by this deadline should not miss that date.
REACH: a real information system on chemicals
Prevent health and environmental risks associated with the use of certain chemicals is now an issue widely shared. Regulation REACH, the acronym for “Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals” is the response of the European Union on this issue.
It is about building a real information system on chemicals to better control their use and encourage the use of chemicals that pose less risk.
Registration is the cornerstone of REACH
Chemicals manufactured or imported over one tonne per year must be registered by the manufacturer or importer, in a database managed by the European Chemicals Agency.
When several companies manufacture or import the same substance, REACH provides for the filing of a joint registration dossier to all companies involved, at least for some parts.
This joint record is established within a forum of information exchange on
substances. A Lead supports the submission to the European Agency for the common part of the file.
Registration is a formality that must be filled directly with the European Chemicals Agency.
Evidence provided by the European Chemicals Agency are disturbing: to date, the number of registrants principal designated fora and reported to the Agency, is barely half the expected number for companies located in France . It is imperative that businesses concerned to join forces!
Registration is a formality that must be filled directly with the European Chemicals Agency.
A Technical Support (HelpDesk) free.
However, to help companies meet their obligations, the State has established,
since 2007, a national technical assistance (help desk) free. This HelpDesk offers the possibility to everyone to ask questions online at the site www.reach-info.fr or by phone on 0820 20 18 16 (0,09 € TTC / min). Moreover, in late 2009, the Department has partnered with the Union of Chemical Industries (UIC) to develop a training plan and supporting businesses, especially SMEs (www.uic.fr).
The European Chemicals Agency said in a press release dated September 27, 2010 that some specific difficulties encountered by companies could be taken into account regarding compliance with the deadline of November 30, 2010. In these cases, provided they make a detailed justification, the applicant may complete the file later.
Manufacturers are encouraged to review these provisions at the site of the European http://echa.europa.eu.
In all cases, the filing of a registration dossier before November 30, 2010 is mandatory.
Registration is required: substances that are not registered by the deadline will no longer be manufactured, imported or placed on the EU market. There is an urgent need to mobilize.
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- March 23rd, 2011 |
Directive “FDI” (industrial emission guideline or directive on industrial emissions) was finally adopted November 8, 2011 by the Council of Ministers of the European Union, after a political agreement in Czech presidency and an agreement with the European Parliament second reading.
The French presidency of the European Union, in the trio Slovenia-France-Czech Republic had contributed extensively to the structuring of the final text.
This Directive replaces the reinforcing an earlier directive of 1996, known as IPPC Directive (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control)
The IPPC Directive No. 96/61/EC of 26 September 1996 on the prevention and reduction integrated pollution has been an important element of European policy to reduce environmental releases. IPPC is in fact based on several principles, namely:
• An integrated approach for permits to operate (taking into account the emissions to water, air and soil within the same document)
• implementation of best available techniques (BAT)
• Flexibility of implementation of BAT according to local conditions,
• public participation in the process of issuance and monitoring of emissions from these facilities.
The new Directive aims mainly to FDI:
• streamline EU legislation by bringing together in one text, all directives related to industrial emissions on large combustion plants, incineration of waste, solvent emissions and industrial titanium dioxide,
• strengthen and clarify the role of sectoral reference documents called “QUICK” (European documents on techniques for reducing emissions of pollutants) in the determination by the competent authorities of operating conditions,
• introducing provisions for periodic review of permit conditions,
• reinforce the obligations of Member States in monitoring facilities,
• strengthen, consistent with the thematic strategy on soil protection and the draft directive “land”, the provisions relating to closure and reclamation sites.
This directive will be a major tool for improving the environmental quality of European citizens.
The DGPR within MEDDTL will now proceed without delay with the implementation of this Directive into French law on classified installations for environmental protection.
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- March 23rd, 2011 |
As part of the fight against odor and gaseous emissions in livestock, the first results of a study on the effectiveness of the deodorizing livestock have just been published.
An agreement established in July 2008 between the Ministry of Environment and National Laboratory of Metrology and Testing (ESA) had set a goal to develop a standardized method for evaluating the effectiveness of products designed to fight against odor and gaseous emissions in livestock.
The first phase of this study, whose results are presented in a report focused on products to spray on the farms.
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- March 23rd, 2011 |
From 20 to 28 November 2010, attend the European Week for waste reduction. Associations, enterprises, governments, schools and individuals are mobilizing across Europe to reduce their waste. The leitmotiv of this year’s campaign: food waste.
Building on the success of the first edition of European Week of waste reduction this year, 31 organizations in 16 European countries joined forces to launch awareness campaigns. To date, over 2,800 actions have been identified throughout Europe, including more than 1800 projects in France. The issue is crucial: the production of household waste has doubled in 40 years!
Have you ever asked these questions?
Why do we throw every year 40 kg of food waste per person, when it is so easy to make compost for plants?
Why consume 365 bottles per year, while one can use a decanter and a tap?
Why receive 35 kg of advertising that we never read, while a simple sticker “Stop pub” on his mailbox would no longer receive them?
Why do we choose to always take a camera down while one room is to change?
And yes … Why? European Week Waste Reduction invites us to ask these questions so that everyone, its scale, can effectively reduce the amount of waste it produces every day.
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- March 23rd, 2011 |
The first phase of registration under the REACH regulation was finalized in November 30. It involved a significant priority in the total volume of chemicals produced or imported into Europe and those considered most dangerous to the environment and human health.
This identification of substances, including carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction is opening the way for management and use safer and more controlled for these products. With rising concerns of consumers vis-à-vis their chemical environment, Europe accounts with the REACH ahead in the prevention of health risks and ecological and strengthens the de facto competitiveness of European industry.
Thanks to the strong mobilization of industry, this first term has led to the registration of 3,400 chemicals. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has received a total of 24,675 cases, of which 9% was deposited by French companies, a rate that corresponds to the part of the national chemical industry in Europe.
“Long seen as a constraint, REACH is becoming a competitive advantage in its own right for European companies. At the time, database and information system shared REACH will improve very quickly knowledge about chemicals. But to effectively assess and reduce chemical impregnation, it must also act directly on the reduction of chemicals, as envisaged by the plan * Ecophyto and progress in the epidemiological component. This is the meaning of the national biomonitoring based on the launch of two studies in 2011: study Elves who plans to follow a cohort of 20,000 children under 6 months to 20 years and the biomonitoring program that is in turn the monitoring of 8,000 adults “has said Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet.
Already, countries outside the European Union are interested in setting up this device, particularly the United States as part of the revision of their legislation on chemicals. The next important deadline of REACH is 31 May 2013. This second wave of registration will be on substances produced in smaller volumes (between 100 and 1,000 tonnes)
* The deadline of November 30, 2010 Substances:
- Produced or imported over 1,000 tons per year
- Carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction produced or imported above 1 tonne per year
- Very toxic to aquatic organisms and may cause long-term adverse effects in the aquatic environment if they are produced or imported over 100 tons per year.
* The plan Ecophyto launched by the Grenelle Environment aims to reduce by 50% the use of pesticides by 2018.
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- March 23rd, 2011 |
Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet opened the sixth national conference of environmental quality sound occurring from 14 to 16 December 2010 at the Maison de la Chimie in Paris. The occasion for the minister to review the measures taken to fight against noise.
While a survey by TNS Sofres-(May 2010) confirms that the noise is now a major threat to the quality of life of French, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet recalls the importance of the fight against noise pollution. Today, two thirds of respondents say they are personally affected by aircraft noise at home. For 54% of them, transportation is the main source of nuisance These have a potential impact on health: chronic fatigue, impact on the cardiovascular system, decreased alertness may be the cause of accidents.
Implementation of the Grenelle Environment and the 2nd National Environmental Health Plan has to make significant progress in noise reduction. Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet but stressed the need to obtain quick results in two specific areas:
- Restricting air travel-related nuisances. The consultation on raising approach altitudes in Ile de France continues to Orly and Roissy and lead to the implementation of new procedures in 2011. Moreover, the device helps local residents set up for the 10 largest airports will be expanded in 2011 to Le Bourget airport and Beauvais.
- The reduction of noise from land transport. The government has pledged as part of the Grenelle Environment, to address the most critical situations within 5 to 7 years and funds are up to:
€ 550 million expected by 2014, as part of modernization programs driving directions (PDMi) on the national road network not granted.
The motorway concession companies have committed to fund 110 M € of acoustic work over the next three years on the networks they operate.
The mechanism of resorption of blackheads (buildings heavily exposed to noise) is the subject of financial support from the Agency for Environment and Energy Control (ADEME) over the period 2009-2011 including networks managed by communities.
In addition, the Minister announced the cities that were selected following a call for applications to establish, with support from the Ministry and ADEME, an observatory of noise in 2011: it is Grenoble, Saint-Etienne Métropole, the community of Pays d’Aix and Nice. These observatories will complement existing observatories,
BRUITPARIF mainly in the Paris area and in CITES-ACOU Lyon.
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- March 23rd, 2011 |
Air quality, biomonitoring, chemical pollution and the fight against noise are the main axes of the second national environmental health for the year 2011. A report outlining the major actions of the National Environmental Health Plan 2010 was also presented Thursday, January 27, 2011.
Following the commitments made at the Grenelle Environment, the Government adopted in Council of Ministers on 24 June 2009 a second National Health and Environment (PNSE2) for the period 2009-2013.
It is structured around two main axes:
Reducing exposure to diseases responsible for high impact on health (cancers, respiratory, cardiovascular, respiratory diseases, neurological …)
reduction of environmental inequalities.
Bilan’s 2010 PNSE2
Evaluation of activities conducted in 2010 – Monitoring Report (PDF)
Outlook 2011 PNSE2
The four major projects led by the Ministry of Sustainable Development under the PNSE2 in 2011 are:
Improving air quality inside and outside to reduce respiratory diseases:
strengthening of consumer information on the volatiles emitted by the products of construction and decoration in the environment. To guide its choice, a new label will be affixed to these ranges of products (paints, PVC tiles, laminate flooring, flooring, carpet …). This new label will include information on their emission levels based on the 10 substances of greatest concern to health. This measure will come into force from 1 January 2012. Guarantee of transparency, such labeling would allow communities wishing to take into account the quality of indoor air as criteria in their tenders for the construction of new buildings. The implementing regulations will be published in the coming weeks.
The creation of 18 posts to advise housing / health mission will assess the sources of allergens in the home patients with respiratory diseases.
The new campaign to measure the air quality in 150 schools during 2011. Monitoring the air quality will become mandatory in all places open to sensitive populations by 2015.
The nomination of two new city-Nice and the urban community of Bordeaux to conduct feasibility studies on the implementation of priority action areas for air (ZAPA) in their city centers. Aix-en-Provence, Grand Lyon, Grenoble, Plaine Commons, Paris, Clermont Community have already volunteered to be part of the experiment.
Development of biomonitoring: Better understanding for better prevention :
The launch of the cohort ELF, in March 2011. ELF will track 20 000 children, the intrauterine period to the age of 20. This study supported by the departments of Ecology and Health will provide essential information on the impact of environment on development, health, socialization … It will measure children’s exposure to chemical pollutants and their effects on neurobehavioral development and endocrine systems. It will also assess the effects on long-term air pollution inside and outside on the health of children.
Preparing a second study in early 2012 which will focus on a sample of 5000 people between 6 and 75 years. Its objective is to assess the state of impregnation of the population of certain substances in the environment (metals, phthalates, PCBs, dioxins, pesticides …).
Fight against chemical pollution: a better framework to reduce risks emerging
The continuation of the REACH Regulation with the assessment of 3400 chemicals registered since November 2010 (the largest tonnage and most dangerous substances).
Implementation, under Grenelle, mandatory reporting of nanomaterials marketed in France. A decree is made in consultation and will be notified to the Commission in early 2011. This initiative is unique in Europe and gave France a head start in framing the use of nanotechnology.
The definition of a national action plan on reducing drug residues in water.
Action against noise: priority to the resolution of blackheads
Publication before the end of the full noise maps of major transport infrastructure and the continuation of the noise map of major cities.
The implementation of major projects to reduce blackheads noise. € 550 million by 2014 will be spent by the State and ADEME. Concrete achievements will also be launched: Coverage A6B in the Val-de-Marne (94) will involve a budget of € 120 million and will reduce noise for residents of 3,300 homes.
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- March 23rd, 2011 |
The Operational Committee charged with examining the technical feasibility of lowering exposure to electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phone masts has released these first results. The latter will allow a better assessment of actual exposure to the French base stations but also to launch the second phase from April 2011: simulation and, where appropriate, field testing of lowering power exposure.
The first phase of the experiment was conducted over 6 villages representing the main drivers * configurations of exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phone masts in France: urban and rural areas, plains and mountains, ancient and modern building. Objective: To evaluate the impact of lowering the territorial coverage, service quality and the number of mobile antennas.
Results showed that while the measured exposure levels may vary depending on the environment, the median level remains low (less than 0.3 volts per meter). Although greater levels were observed in places (12 volts per meter), they are however much lower than the volts per meter set by French regulations (41 to 61 volts per meter).
Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, who received the report today, said that even if the regulatory limits of exposure does not require revision in the current state of knowledge, the Grenelle waves nevertheless considered that Therefore, the overall exposure to the public mobile phone masts can be reduced without degrading the coverage or quality of service, and economically acceptable cost, the reduction should be considered.
Result of work initiated in spring 2009 by the Department of Health and the Ministry of Sustainable Development, which has provided the committee a budget of one million euros, these results will allow a better assessment of actual exposure French antennas but also to launch the second phase from April 2011: simulation and, where appropriate, field testing of lowering power of exposure.
A call for research proposals on the radio
The minister also announced that under the Finance Act 2011 which creates a new funding mechanism required by mobile operators, ANSES (National Health Security) will launch in the first half of this year a call for research projects on radio for a $ 2 million.
* Grenoble (Isère), Paris 14ème, Thiers (Puy de Dome) Kruth (Haut-Rhin), Grand Champ
(Morbihan) and Courbevoie (Hauts-de-Seine)
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- March 23rd, 2011 |
Weather France launched on February 14 a website dedicated to the knowledge of the phenomenon known as “extreme rainfall”. Early presentation of objectives and organization of the site.
Called “extreme rainfall” short rainfall events, but the intensity is high. These phenomena are often the cause of severe floods, causing extensive damage.
Meteo France, with support from the department, and has launched a site dedicated to the phenomenon, entitled ” extreme rainfall “. Its purpose is to inform about the frequency of extreme rainfall events. It brings together the extreme precipitation events that occurred in France since 1958 and until 2009.
There are episodes whose cumulative rainfall measured over 60 h in 24 mm or 80 mm in 48 hours. The episodes are presented by department described as a combination of rainfall data and maps posted on isohyets.
The data are intended to be updated each year to facilitate history.
The site also has a section entitled ” momentous events “, the oldest of which dates back to 1766. Each event is accompanied by a descriptive text dedicated to the memory of the event, and subsequent floods. It is illustrated by archive footage and even videos of the INA, in some cases.
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- March 23rd, 2011 |
To sensitize young people to risk prevention, the Ministry of Sustainable Development is launching a national competition: “The risks, and I shared my” open to children 7 to 18 years. Objective of this contest: to sensitize citizens, from an early age, natural hazards: floods, earthquakes, storms, avalanches, forest fires etc..
Are you between 7 and 18? Then become a reporter in your town!
To participate is simple: immerse yourself in the shoes of a journalist in the field, a videographer, photographer or illustrator and make your mission alone (e) or with friends in class or family.
The theme of your story?
Foreseeable risks: floods, earthquakes, storms, avalanches, forest fires etc.. and the past disasters in your town or municipality of your choice.
The shape of your investigation?
- Between 7 and 14 years: a document with pictures, drawings, diagrams or plans prompted.
- Between 11 and 14 years: you can also attach to your document, a digital film of 10 minutes.
- Between 15 and 18: You’re invited (e) to make a documentary digital video 5 to 15 minutes.
Be creative and feel free to interview witnesses, experts or influential people in your area, your story will be more informative!
Visit the website dedicated to the prevention of major risks
www.prim.net / contest
Download the terms of the contest today and submit your story before exposure May 15, 2011.
By offering this contest fun and attractive, the Ministry wishes to draw the attention of young metropolitans, make them aware of major hazards existing in France and their role in reducing disaster risks.
The contest will be relayed by several partners: Eco-Mayors, Citizens and The Little Nature and Discovery, institutions and associations.
All work will be freely searchable over the Internet later and subject to respect for their copyright notice and jury of the contest on the Internet.
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