Emissions
of heavy metals by consumption
TX-7
Dispersion
of Toxic Substances
Pressure
1 Indicator
definition and unit of measurement
Heavy
metals are the metals of environmental interest - e.g. mercury, cadmium, lead -
with few exceptions - e.g. aluminium. Different types of emissions of heavy
metals will take place due to consumption. This indicator aims at representing
all types of emissions of heavy metals by consumption, on a yearly basis. Unit:
tonnes/year.
2 Placement
in the framework
5EAP:
Chapter
5: The themes and targets of the programme, section 5.4: Management of water
resources:
Design
of specific standards to encourage
the
development
of processes and standards to prevent negative effects on water (using BAT and
target standards).
Chapter
6: Management of risks and accidents, section 6.1: Industry-related risks
Directive
93/793/EEC
on E
nvironmental
risk
s
from chemicals (testing the ecotoxicity of
listed
priority chemicals).
Agenda
21:
Chapter
17: Protection of the oceans, all kinds of seas, including enclosed and
semi-enclosed seas, and coastal areas and the protection, rational use and
development of their living resources,
Chapter
18: Protection of the quality and supply of freshwater resources: application
of integrated approaches to the development, management and use of water
resources, and
Chapter
20: Environmentally-sound management of hazardous wastes, including prevention
of illegal international traffic in hazardous wastes (section D).
International
conventions and agreements:
Revision
of
Directive
76/464
/EEC
on
Pollution
caused by certain
dangerous
substances
discharged into the
aquatic
environment.
Directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC).
Reductions
of emissions to waters are agreed upon in OSPARCOM (Oslo, 1972 and Paris,
1974), HELCOM (Helsinki, 1994) and the North Sea Ministerial Conference
(Esbjerg Declaration, 1995).
Ranking:
Core
ranking:
7
(19%)
Policy
Relevance:
9
(2.9)
Analytical
Soundness:
12
(2.7)
Responsiveness:
15
(2.6)
Most
appropriate related state indicator:
Accumulated
amounts of heavy metals in defined parts of society.
3 Significance
Purpose:
The
general purpose of this indicator is to represent the total emissions of heavy
metals by consumption per year. Better knowledge of emitted amounts helps
activities aiming at decreasing emissions.
Relevance:
Metals
are totally persistent and all amounts emitted to air or water will after
varying time be accumulated in soil, water, sediments and sewage plant sludge.
Many of the heavy metals are toxic and an accumulation in these media is,
consequently, not sustainable.
Linkages
to other pressure indicators:
This
indicator is linked to TX-5: Index of heavy metal emissions to air and TX-4:
Index of heavy metal emissions to water.
Targets:
5EAP:
as regards, air emissions, at least 70% reduction of cadmium, mercury and lead
emissions in 1995; as regards, emissions into water: s
tandards
for heavy metal
discharges are
set
out in
the
sub-directives
of
Directive
76/464
/EEC
on
pollution
caused by certain
dangerous
substances
discharged into the
aquatic
environment.
4 Methodological
description and underlying definitions
Underlying
definitions and concepts:
Heavy
metals are metals with a specific weight exceeding 5 g/cm
3.
Eight heavy metals are in environmental focus: mercury, lead, cadmium,
chromium, copper, arsenic, nickel and zinc.
Measurement
methods:
This
indicator will be the result of sales statistics. Traffic, combustion processes
will be of large importance. A large part of the emissions from products
containing heavy metals will take place not only during production, but also
during use and waste treatment. Emitted amounts are estimated by the use of
emission factors, describing emission rates of substances from different
matrices and uses.
Limitations
of the indicator:
Heavy
metals are an heterogeneous group of metals. Their inherent characteristics,
such as reactivity and toxic potential, differ. The relationship within the
cluster may vary from one location to another and from time to time. The
emission sources are often diffuse and the emission factors are in some cases
unreliable or non existing. The amount of one certain heavy metal could be
larger than the total amount of all the other heavy metals. Weighting by
toxicity is therefore necessary.
Alternative
definitions:
Emissions
of each of the eight heavy metals by consumption (see 4. Limitations of the
indicator), on a yearly basis, e.g. emissions of copper by consumption per year.
