The Chemistry function plays an integral role in ensuring that the requirements of the Water Framework Directive will be met in terms of the chemical monitoring, analysis and data assessment that SEPA carries out.
SEPA’s chemistry managers, and others within the science function, have been working with a particular emphasis on potential areas of greatest change including Priority Substances and Specific Pollutants.
The European Commission has identified a list of 33 Priority Substances (Annex X of the Directive) based on their toxicity, persistence and liability to bio-accumulate in the environment. This list will be reviewed by the Commission every four years and is divided into two categories (depending on the level of concern):
- Priority Substances
- Priority Hazardous Substances
Measures must be implemented with the aim of:
- Cessation or phasing-out of discharges, emissions and losses of Priority Hazardous Substances within 20 years of the adoption of the Water Framework Directive; and
- Progressive reduction of pollution from all Priority Substances.
Furthermore, Priority Substances will also be considered in the Directive’s key objective of achieving good surface water status. Good ecological status of a water body will be achieved when, amongst other criteria, good chemical status is achieved. The achievement of good chemical status is dependant on meeting agreed environmental quality standards (EQS), including EQS for Priority Substances.
Quality standards and emission controls for Priority Substances are to be included in a Daughter Directive to be prepared under Article 16 of the Directive. This is expected to be completed by spring 2005. However, if a Daughter Directive is not produced Member States will be responsible for defining these standards.
In addition to the Priority Substances, Annex VIII of the Directive provides an indicative list of main pollutants to be considered as Specific Pollutants. Good ecological status also requires concentrations of Specific Pollutants to be below the EQS. Member States are responsible for developing appropriate EQS for Specific Pollutants. A SNIFFER funded project, managed by the Environment Agency, is currently under way to develop standards for an initial list of 16 substances. Further identification of relevant substances to be considered as Specific Pollutants is also required. The list of Specific Pollutants is in addition to the list of 33 Priority Substances.
A number of key pieces of work have been completed (or are ongoing) as part of chemistry’s WFD implementation:
- Pressures and Impacts analysis for hazardous substances
- Research & development project for identifying potential sources of Priority Substances
- Advice to Defra and the EC on Priority Substances in preparation for the Article 16 Daughter Directive.
A number of key pieces of work are currently underway or are planned for the future as part of Chemistry’s WFD implementation:
- Annex VIII Development of EQS for Specific Pollutants
- Further characterisation including further desk-based assessments and prioritised monitoring of 1b water bodies
- Chemistry input to Scotland’s aquatic monitoring strategy
- Implementation and roll-out of new water quality monitoring programme
- Analytical method development for new substances of concern, including Annex X Priority (Hazardous) Substances
Chemistry involvement in the implementation of the WFD on a UK national scale is managed through the UK Technical Advisory Group (UKTAG) Chemistry Task Team. This group is part of the UKTAG network and exists to provide technical advice on chemical aspects of the Directive.
