Pollution Information

Rylands v Fletcher common law case in 1865 established that "Anyone who brings or collects and keeps on his (sic) land anything likely to do mischief it if escapes must keep it at his peril and if he does not do so is prima-facie strictly liable for all that damage which is the natural consequence of its escape". The decision shows that people who bring any "beasts, water, filth or stench" on to their land have a strict liability to look after it. This liability has been extended to environmental water, fire, gases, oil, chemicals, colliery spoil, poisonous vegetation, and even a chair-o-place at a fairground. But oil from an oil tanker at sea did not qualify - because the oil did not come from the land. More

BATNEEC

Many manufacturing companies must show that they use the Best Available Techniques Not Entailing Excessive Cost (BATNEEC) to minimise their emissions. (Not CATNIP! - the Cheapest Available Techniques Not Incurring Prosecution).

BATNEEC embraces not only the technology but also the organisation - the manner the process is operated, including adequate personnel and premises. BATNEEC strikes a balance between the best available technology and management techniques with what the sector can generally afford. More on BATNEEC and Best Practicable Envionment Option (BPEO)

EU
REACH is a new European Community Regulation on chemicals and their safe use (EC 1907/2006). It deals with the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances. The new law entered into force on 1 June 2007. The aim of REACH is to improve the protection of human health and the environment through the better and earlier identification of the intrinsic hazards of chemical substances. It is hoped this enhances the innovative capability and competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry. Chemical Watch briefing business on EU Directory of Dangerous Substances

POPs - Stockholm Convention controls Persistent Organic Pollutants throughout the world

PIC - Rotterdam Convention lays down rules for selling and exporting hazardous substances to other counrties. 24 pesticides, 4 severely hazardous pesticide formulations and 11 industrial chemicals (including asbestos) come under the controls.

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal is the most comprehensive global environmental agreement on hazardous and other wastes.