Environment Law Bulletin - Institute of Environmental Management ...

guidance for monitoring particulate matterin air around waste facilities. The guidance isintended to be used by EA staff, monitoringcontractors, industry and other partiesinvolved in monitoring particulate matter inthese environments. The sites most affectedwould be landfills, transfer stations andscrap yards. The guidance will also be usefulduring applications, determination andcompliance with permits and licences.Guidance is provided on which classes ofparticulate matter are relevant, how toassess impacts, sampling strategy and monitoringmethodology. The EA is particularlyinterested to hear views on the use ofnumerical air quality criteria, the methods ofchoice for monitoring different types ofparticulate matter and whether the casestudies add value to the guidance.Comments were requested by 14 May 2003.(EA, February 2003)WRAPThe European Commission has given partialapproval to the Waste Resource ActionProgramme (WRAP) which provides aidmeasures to promote waste recycling. TheCommission found that the WRAP pilotfund, a capital fund for investment in smalland medium size companies specialising inrecycling waste, complies with state aidrules. It also approved the WRAP leaseguarantee fund and the regional and SMEschemes which provide investment aid torecycling projects in the form of guaranteesand grants. However, the Commissionexpressed doubts over the WRAP environmentalscheme which provides subsidies forcompanies outside assisted areas for investmentin recycling facilities. The Commissionalso queried the use of the scheme toprovide aid in assisted areas, as the levelswere higher than allowed under national,regional or state aid rules. The environmentalscheme is now undergoinginvestigation by the Commission.(European Commission Press Release, 19 March 2003)End of life vehiclesA consultation paper issued jointly by DEFRAand the DTI is seeking comment on regulationsfor partially implementing the End ofLife Vehicles Directive (2000/53/EC). TheDirective, which came into force on 21October 2000 and should have been transposedinto national legislation by 21 April2002, is aimed at reducing the amount ofwaste from end of life vehicles. It requiresend of life vehicles and waste components tobe collected and transferred to permittedfacilities for treatment. It also sets targets forrecovery, reuse and recycling. The consultationpaper is seeking views on two draftstatutory instruments – the End of Life“Last owners of vehicles will be responsible for thecosts of take back until 2007, which is likely to leadto an increase in the number of vehicles dumped overthe period.”Vehicles Regulations 2003 and the End ofLife Vehicles (Storage and Treatment)(England and Wales) Regulations 2003. Thesedraft Regulations will bring into force anumber of technical aspects of the Directiveincluding: restrictions on the use of certainheavy metals in vehicles; the introduction ofa ‘certificate of destruction’ for scrappedvehicles; the marking of some vehicle componentsas a aid to recycling; free take back forvehicles put on the market from July 2002;and the introduction of authorised treatmentfacilities for dismantling end of life vehicles tospecified standards. The Government’sproposals for implementing the Directivehave been criticised. Last owners of vehicleswill be responsible for the costs of take backuntil 2007, which is likely to lead to anincrease in the number of vehicles dumpedover the period. The deadline for responsesto the consultation is 6 June 2003. A furtherconsultation on regulations on free take backof end of life vehicles of all ages and formeeting recycling targets in the Directive isplanned for the near future.(DEFRA and DTI, March 2003)TyresThe DTI has issued a further consultationpaper on the disposal of tyres to seek viewson the best way to meet the future ban ondisposal to landfill. Responses to a previousconsultation issued in mid 2002, highlighteda widespread concern over the flytipping of tyres and called for a suitable23Environment Law BulletinApril 2003