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Commission refers Bulgaria and Spain to the court for failing to protect citizens from poor air quality
The European Commission recently decided to refer Bulgaria and Spain to the Court of Justice of the EU over poor air quality. Bulgaria is failing to respect limit values of sulphur dioxide (SO2), and Spain is failing to respect limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
Today’s decisions are part of
reinforced action by the Commission to engage with Member States to protect citizens’ health from poor air quality, as set out in the Commission’s Communication ‘A Europe that protects: Clean air for all’ of May 2018.
In the case of Bulgaria, the latest sulphur dioxide (SO2) data presented show persisting non-compliance with the hourly and/or daily limit values for SO2 in the South-East zone, where the four largest thermal power plants in Bulgaria are located. Since 2005, EU rules sets limit values for SO2 concentration in ambient air. These provisions are applicable to Bulgaria as of its accession to the EU from 1 January 2007. Today’s decision constitutes a second referral to the Court of Justice of the EU for Bulgaria’s failure to comply with EU air quality standards. In its judgement of 5 April 2017, the Court confi rmed Bulgaria’s failure to comply with the limit values for PM10 (Commission v Bulgaria, C-488/15).
The newest air quality data provided by Spain confi rms the systematic breach of EU rules on nitrogen dioxide (NO2) values, which have been legally binding since 2010. The decision to refer Spain to the Court concerns the urban areas of Madrid, Barcelona and Vallès-Baix Llobregat, where the legal limits for NO2 have been persistently breached. According to the European Environment Agency, almost 9,000 premature deaths in Spain are attributable to NO2 each year.
When limit values set by EU legislation on ambient air quality (Directive 2008/50/EC) are exceeded, as in the cases of Bulgaria and Spain, Member States have to adopt air quality plans and ensure that such plans set appropriate measures so that the exceedance period can be kept as short as possible. Guided by the principle of subsidiarity, the legislation leaves the choice of the means to comply with the limit values to the Member States.
Despite the obligation for member states to ensure good air quality for citizens, air pollution remains a problem in many places, while the situation is especially severe in urban areas.
Air pollution continues to be the number one environmental health problem in the EU, with estimates pointing to around 400,000 premature deaths attributable to air pollution per year. It causes serious diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular problems and lung cancer. Studies estimate that poor air quality causes direct economic costs well in excess of 20 billion per year.
Particulate matter (PM10) is mainly present in emissions from industry, traffi c and domestic heating, but also results from agricultural emissions. Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is emitted when fuels containing sulphur (coal and oil) are burned for domestic heating, power generation and motor vehicles. SO2 can affect the respiratory system and the functions of the lungs, and causes irritation of the eyes. Sulphuric acid is also the main component of acid rain, which is a cause of deforestation. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) results mostly from human activities, such as road traffi c. In particular, from diesel vehicles, and industry. EU law sets limit values for PM10 and SO2 to be complied with by Member States since January 2005, whereas for NO2 – since January 2010.
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Aquatec Equipment Awards 2019 to offer prizes of equipment loan
and travel grant awards The Aquatec Equipment Awards, fi rst launched in 2012 by Aquatec Group, is an annual awards program that promotes the development of marine sciences, encourages environmental research, and raises awareness on sustainability issues. Each year, early career university researchers and postgraduate students from all over the world can win the opportunity to use high-tech, commercially established subsea instrumentation designed and manufactured by the company.
To apply, candidates must fi ll out a simple online form before 31st October 2019, and write a brief presentation of their research project proposal, including project aims, planned deployment, use of the instrument, and time required. Aquatec Group will judge the applicants on the scientifi c and innovative merit of their proposals, the practicality of the planned experiment, and the demonstration of a clear need for the chosen instrument.
“At Aquatec, we are passionate about the scientifi c insight that users of our instruments can gain. Since launching the Equipment Awards we have enabled many young scientists to get hands-on experience with our state-of-the art instrumentation so they can share that passion at the very outset of their careers,” said Andy Smerdon, Managing Director at Aquatec Group.
This year, the awards give a loan of an instrument, varying from 2 to 3 months’ time to carry out the research, and a travel grant which can be used for travel to deploy the instrument or present results at a conference. The winners will be able to demonstrate excellence in their efforts and methods while studying underwater conditions, a matter of the upmost importance to the environment, well in line with the company’s core values.
The top award is a 3 month loan of the AQUAscat® 1000R acoustic suspended sediment profi ler specially designed and manufactured as a research
model with a £500 travel grant. 4 cabled transducers are supplied with the instrument, each of which transmits short pulses of ultrasound, which are then scattered back by the sediment in the water, providing information about the mean grain size and concentration of suspended materials over a depth profi le. These readings are particularly useful in sediment transport studies, oceanographic research, environmental activities, and dredge plume monitoring among other applications.
The second award is a 2 month loan of an AQUAlogger® 310TYPT, a self-contained turbidity, temperature and pressure logger and a £300 travel
grant. This instrument is easy to use, and suitable for deployment in freshwater as well as ocean environments, where it can measure turbidity to over 10,000 FTU while sensing both temperature and pressure. This instrument can be used by researchers, students and oceanographic professionals who want to measure suspended sediment in rivers and lakes, monitor dredge operations, or assess hydropower intakes.
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equipment manufacturer Partech, which provides measuring equipment for the drinking and waste water industry, has offi cially received it Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade and will hold the honour for fi ve years.
It was presented at the company’s St Austell headquarters by the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, Colonel Edward Bolitho OBE.
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Partech’s joint managing director, Angus Fosten, said: “We are really pleased to have offi cially received the award. It was a great day for the whole team and recognises the hard work they put in to making us a successful, global company.
“Our export business is growing rapidly, especially in China, and this award will further strengthen our reputation for providing the best products and excellent customer service.”
For over 50 years Partech has worked closely with technicians and process scientists in the water and industrial effl uent sector, developing equipment that is built to last and enables organisations globally to meet regulations while reducing costs. The company exports to 76 countries.
The Lord Lieutenant, Colonel Bolitho, said: “It was a pleasure to present the Queen’s Awards to the Partech team on behalf of Her Majesty. It is always pleasing to see a Cornish company making a difference on a global scale and leading the way in engineering and technology.”
The company was also invited to a special event at Buckingham Palace where Angus Fosten and sales manager, David Wilson, had the chance to meet HRH The Prince of Wales.
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ROMIL has appointed Paul Stubbings as its UK National Sales Manager to ensure the best possible service for its expanding UK customer base. This newly created role will help to ensure the highest level of customer service for UK customers, and allow Sales Director Anthony Lenk to dedicate more time to the company’s rapidly growing direct sales and distributor-based export markets.
Paul brings a wealth of knowledge and strategic expertise to ROMIL, backed by a strong foundation in chemistry. Having started his career as an analytical chemist working with GC, ICP and HPLC – and using ROMIL products – Paul understands what customers need, and how best to deliver it. This is combined with many years of sales experience in the UK and internationally, working for or supplying companies such as Shimadzu, PerkinElmer, GSK and Pfi zer, as well as a number of SMEs and start-ups.
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Paul commented: “I’m thrilled to be joining the ROMIL team at this exciting time. There is clearly a strong demand for the high quality products ROMIL offers; I’ve never worked for a company that gets so many contact requests from new customers before! My aim is to provide all our UK customers – from big pharma to small university labs – with an exceptional level of service that matches the quality of ROMIL products.”
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IET September / October 2019
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49930pr@reply-direct.com ROMIL expands customer support at home and abroad
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Lord Lieutenant presents Queen’s Award to water testing
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