Change of scope mooted for revised metals pollution standards

Excluding the use of chemical chromium VI as a best available technique (BAT) in the processing of ferrous metals has been proposed at the launch of talks to revise 15-year-old EU standards for the sector.

Representatives from member states, industry and NGOs met in Seville last week to initiate the review of the BAT reference document (BREF) for ferrous metal processing (FMP) with a debate on the document’s scope. Adopted in 2001, it contains guidelines and recommended reference emission values for FMP activities such as hot rolling and wire drawing.