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OSPAR Convention on Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic - Hazardous Substances Strategy

WFD/WG-E/drafting group on emissionsKick-off meeting 24 February 2009

Hanne-Grete Nilsen

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About OSPAR

General obligation:

• to prevent and eliminate pollution

• to protect the sea against the adverse effects of human activities

– to safeguard human health

– to conserve marine ecosystems

– when practicable, restore marine areas which have been adversely affected

Region I: Arctic WatersRegion II: Greater North Sea Region III: Celtic Seas Region IV: Bay of Biscay/Iberian Coast Region V: Wider Atlantic

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How does OSPAR work?

Means include:

• Programmes and measures

• Implementation reporting

• Monitoring and assessment

• Observers (NGOs, IGOs)

• Cooperation with competent authorities and organisations

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OSPAR Strategies

5 thematic Strategies:

objectives, timeframes and approaches to tackling the main environmental problems:

– Hazardous Substances

– Eutrophication

– Radioactive Substances

– Offshore industries

– Biodiversity and Ecosystems

6th Strategy:

Joint monitoring and assessment programme to assess quality status and progress in implementing the Strategies

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Hazardous Substances Strategy

• Objective:

to prevent pollution by continuously reducing discharges, emissions and losses of hazardous substances, with the target of their cessation by 2020. The ultimate aim is to achieve concentrations in the marine environment near background values for naturally occurring substances and close to zero for man-made synthetic substances.

• Selection and prioritisation of chemicals

• Measures to reduce releases of chemicals to the environment

• Monitoring of releases and concentrations and effects in the marine environment

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Selection and prioritisation of hazardous substances

• The dynamic selection and prioritisation mechanism for hazardous substances (DYNAMEC)

• List of Chemicals for Priority Action (LCPA)

– The focus has been on 26 priority chemicals

– Background Documents

• List of Substances of Possible Concern (LSPC)

– More than 300 substances

• Deselection

• No re-run of DYNAMEC

OSPAR priority chemicals

OSPAR WFD

Cadmium PHS

Lead and organic lead compounds

PS

Mercury and organic mercury compounds

PHS

Organic tin compounds PHS (TBT)

Neodecanoic acid, ethenyl ester

–

PFOS A III

Tetrabromobisphenol-A –

Trichlorobenzenes PS

Brominated flame retardantsPBDEs: PHS

other: PS

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

A III

Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDDs, PCDFs)

A III

Short chained chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs)

PHS

OSPAR WFD

4-(dimethylbutylamino) diphenylamin (6PPD)

–

Dicofol A III

Endosulfan PHS

HCH isomers PHS

Methoxychlor –

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) PS

Trifluralin PS

Clotrimazole –

2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenol –

Nonylphenol-ethoxylates NPs: PHS

Octylphenol PS

Phthalates: dibutylphthalate (DBP), diethylhexyl-phthalate (DEHP)

DEHP: PS

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)

PHS

Musk xylene A III

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Screening of LSPC

A screening of the LSPC has recently been performed to help OSPAR to focus further attention on those substances in open use which are presently not covered by the EC:

• 117 (groups of) substances needs further review;

• The rest has been set aside because they are either:

– adequately addressed by EC initiatives or other international forums;

– not produced and/or used in the OSPAR catchment or are used in sufficiently contained systems;

– or do not appear to be “hazardous substances”, but where the evidence is not conclusive.

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Measures – Point sources

Main sectors addressed; sources of heavy metals, organohalogens and PAHs.

• Iron and steel industry (primary and secondary)

• Non-ferrous metal industry (primary and secondary)

• Surface treatment of metals

• Chlor-alkali industry

• Textile industry

• Pharmaceutical industry

• Organic chemical industry

• Large combustion plants

• Pulp and paper industry

• Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) industry

• Refineries

Measures – Diffuse sources

Cadmium Various sources: LV, QO Batteries: recovery, disposal Gaps: Fertilisers, waste, PVC products, devices

Lead and organic lead compounds Gaps: Non-regulated uses in products, paint, PVC, drilling fluids, ammunition, fishing weights

Mercury and organic mercury compounds

Discharges from various sources, dentistry, crematoria, batteries, thermometers Gaps: Dental amalgam, waste streams

Organic tin compounds Antifouling paints for use on sea-going vessels and underwater structures, docking activities

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) Phase-out all uses

Short chained chlorinated paraffins Phase-out in plasticiser in paints, coatings and sealants, use in metal work fluids and as flame retardants in rubber, plastics and textiles

Nonylphenol-ethoxylates Phase-out cleaning agents

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Phase-out one-component coal tar coating systems for inland ships

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Monitoring and assessment - RID

Riverine inputs of heavy metals to the OSPAR Regions in 1990 – 2006

Total inputs of cadmium

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Total inputs of lead

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Total inputs of mercury

0

5

10

15

20

25

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Region I Region II Region III Region IV

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OSPAR Comprehensive Atmospheric Monitoring Programme (CAMP)

• The best data coverage in Region II. For all other Regions data are sparse and the trend analysis is very limited. In general the availability of precipitation data is better than of the measurements in air.

• The concentrations of all heavy metals in precipitation show a decrease for Region II. No measurements in precipitation for other regions were available for an assessment.

• The aerosol data also show in general downward trends.

• The measurements of the lindane concentration in precipitation for Region I and II showed clear downward trends.

• EMEP modeling used to complement the atmospheric inputs assessments.

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The Co-ordinated Environmental Monitoring Programme (CEMP)

• Monitoring is mainly around contaminated coastal areas to assess the response to pollution control measures.

• Includes: cadmium, mercury, PCBs, PAHs and TBT

• To be included: brominated flame retardants, dioxins, PFOS and a range of biological effects of hazardous substances.

• Levels of metals, PCBs, and PAHs in the environment are generally decreasing but in some coastal areas they are still at levels that may give rise to pollution effects

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Progress towards cessation target

?

2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenol

4-(dimethylbutylamino) diphenylamine (6PPD)

Neodecanoic acid, ethenyl ester

YES

Dicofol

Endosulfan

HCH isomers (lindane)

Methoxychlor

Nonylphenol-ethoxylates

Pentachlorophenol (PCP)

Short chained chlorinated paraffins

Trifluralin

NO

Brominated flame retardants

Cadmium

Clotrimazole

Lead and organic Pb compounds

Mercury and organic Hg compounds

Musk xylene

Octylphenol

Organic tin compounds

PFOS

Phthalates: dibutylphthalate (DBP), diethylhexyl-phthalate (DEHP)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDDs, PCDFs)

PAHs

Tetrabromobisphenol-A

Trichlorobenzenes

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Further work neededPAHs, dioxins, heavy metals:

• further improvement and application of emission abatement technology in combustion processes required;

• Effective implementation of the IPPC Directive;

• target other sources, (lead in ammunition and fishing equipment, mercury in dentistry)

PFOS/BFRs:

• management of waste streams

• Uses of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) not sufficiently regulated

• Use of decaBDE and TBBP-A have risen as a result of ban of PentaBDE and OctaBDE;

• The importation of goods containing PFOS,polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and other priority chemicals may further add to diffuse releases.

Chlorinated paraffins

• MCCPs substitute for the main application of SCCPs as metal and leather working fluids.

Phthalates, clotrimazole, octylphenol and trichlorobenzenes (suspected EDs)

• Very little monitoring is in place to track releases.

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Overall conclusions

• Most priority chemicals require additional actions to further progress towards the cessation target.

• OSPAR has largely established priorities for action. Endocrine disruptors needs to be addressed

• Increasingly the European Community has covered the field of OSPAR’s work on hazardous substances. OSPAR will continue to promote actions within the EC.

• Review of OSPAR strategies will conclude on to further OSPAR action

• More information on production and use and monitoring data needed

• Need to address remaining sources, especially consumer products

• require support through global actions to address priority chemicals produced and used in other parts of the world.

• Cooperation between OSPAR and WG-E mutual benficial