OSPAR

OSPAR (2008) Implementation of PARCOM Decision 90/3 on reducing atmospheric emissions from existing chlor-alkali plants. ISBN 978-1-905859-88-7... 

OSPAR (2007) Mercury losses from the chlor-alkali industry (1982-2005). ISBN 978-1-905859-56-6... 

For many years the issue of difference to balance caused great confusion in discussions between industry and the authorities. As a result of some detailed work completed in a co-operation between Euro Chlor and the OSPAR authorities [4], this issue is now much better understood by all stakeholders. 

German government has recently informed OSPAR that there are 6650 employees in the German chlor-alkali industry (which is currently based 50% on mercury technology), with 250000 jobs (in Germany alone) dependent on this industry [7]. 

These uncertainties and differences in interpretation would be less important were it not for the environmental and economic aspects of the issue described in preceding sections of this chapter. If the Recommendation were honoured to the letter and all OSPAR area chlor-alkali plants were to be forced to close or convert by 2010, we would see no environmental gain but considerable economic and social damage. EU lawyers might also like to consider the situation for major producer countries like France and Spain where some of their plants are within the OSPAR catchment area and others - with drainage to the Mediterranean basin -are not ... 

In the last three or four years, industry has risen to the challenge presented by PARCOM 90/3. The response has been on two fronts. On the one hand industry is trying within the OSPAR process to assist in making sure that the way in which it interprets and implements the decision is as favourable as possible to the environment without doing permanent and unacceptable economic and social damage. On the... 

OSPAR facilitated these technical efforts by setting up an Intersessional Correspondence Group (ICG) - a loose group of experts drawn from industry and government - which reports to OSPAR s annual meeting on point sources of pollution (known, creatively, as POINT). This work culminated in a two-day chlor-alkali workshop ( WOCAI ) in Madrid in September 1999 at which very full technical presentations were made on every aspect of the mercury issue. The conclusions of this workshop supported some, but not all, of industry s views. Where areas of technical disagreement still existed these were referred back to the ICG for resolution. 

The Madrid Commitments were announced at the OSPAR workshop in Madrid in September 1999. In summary they are ... 

Stanford Research Institute Consulting (1997) Competitive Situation of the Western European Chlor-Alkali Industry in a Global Context. Prepared for Euro Chlor, Brussels. See also OSPAR Document WOCAI99/5/6 (Madrid, 1999) Competitive Situation of the Western European Chlor-Alkali Industry in a Global Context. Euro Chlor, Brussels. 

Wilken, R.-D. (1999) Mercury in the Environment Global Scenario as a Frame for Local Scenarios. Summary presented as OSPAR Document WOCAI 99/5/12 (Madrid, 1999). Euro Chlor, Brussels and ESWE-Institut, Wiesbaden. 

Moxon, R. (2000) Draft OSPAR Background Document on Mercury and Organic Mercury Compounds, presented by the United Kingdom to OSPAR as Document PRAM 00/3/4 (Calais, 2000). UK Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, London. 

Euro Chlor (1998) Guidelines for Making a Mercury Balance in a Chlorine Plant (Env.Prot.12, 2nd edition, July). See also OSPAR Document WOCAI 99/4/4 (Madrid, 1999). 

Anon. (1999) Questionnaire to OSPAR Contracting Parties - Response from Germany. German Government response to an OSPAR Government questionnaire. See OSPAR Document WOCAI 99/5/ Info.l (Madrid, 1999). 

Oslo and Paris Commissions (1992) Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic. OSPAR, Paris. 

Oslo and Paris Commissions (1998) Final Statement of the 1998 Ministerial Meeting of the OSPAR Commission (Sintra Statement). OSPAR, Paris. 

Euro Chlor Member Companies (1999) Voluntary Commitments by each Western European Chlor-Alkali Producer (Mercury Cells). Presented to OSPAR as OSPAR Document WOCAI 99/5/18 (Madrid, 1999). 

OSPAR Convention, being applicable in the North-East Atlantic region. 

The changes to the London Protocol also led to a revision of the OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, which is the North-East Atlantic s version of the London Protocol, and which combines the 1972 Oslo Convention on dumping waste at sea and the 1974 Paris Convention on land-based sources of marine pollution. In 2007, the OSPAR Convention also adopted amendments to the Annexes to the Convention to allow the storage of C02 in geological formations under the seabed (www.ospar.org). 

Another piece of legislative action to be considered is the OSPAR strategy regarding hazardous substances, known as the Convention for the protection of the marine environment of North-Atlantic . Among the OSPAR list of chemicals of priority action, surfactants NPEOs and so-called related substances, such as NP, are included among other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like PCBs, PAHs and Hg, indicating that these compounds show a risk to the marine environment. 

Source From OSPAR (1998). OSPAR Agreement 1998-18. OSPAR Strategy to Combat Eutrophication. The OSPAR Commission comprises countries bordering the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. 

OSPAR List of Chemicals for Priority Action (1998) Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs)... 

Companies and their brand name products are ranked red, amber and green according to their commitment to substitute OSPAR+ chemicals. The rankings are updated on a database, known as the Chemical Home at http //www.greenpeace.org. uk/Products/Toxics/... 

Puma, a sport-lifestyle brand, committed to eliminating the OSPAR+ chemicals from both its sports shoes and perfumes with immediate effect, across their whole product range. 

Adidas, a sporting goods company, has committed to phasing out OSPAR+ substances from its sports shoes, so is ranked amber on the database. However, Adidas has yet to adopt a phase-out policy for its perfume and body care products so the company grading remains red (February 2005). 

In October 2004, Unilever confirmed that its new personal care products, such as the Organics and Timotei shampoo lines, and household products in Europe do not contain OSPAR+ chemicals. These include shampoo, body lotion, cleansers, cleaning products and detergents. Almost all phthalates will be banned from these products, except for one phthalate DEP, which will take a bit longer to phase out. Unilever has not yet eliminated phthalates and musks in their perfumes. 

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