WEST MIDLANDS COMPANIES OPEN TO INSPECTION

11.41.20am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 9th Nov 2004

A new EU website is giving West Midlands residents the chance to find out more than ever before about pollution problems affecting the area.

The European polluting emission register (EPER) was launched in February this year and more than 100,000 visitors logged on in the first three months alone. The database provides up to date details of 50 different air and water pollutants produced by a wide range of local industries (see below for full list).

Although some industrial installations in West Midlands are still amongst the highest polluters in Europe the register also reveals that many companies have made huge progress in reducing problems their work might cause.

West Midlands Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Liz Lynne, says the information will allow residents to compare the performance of companies locally with those elsewhere in Europe.

"EU environmental laws have brought about great changes for the better, but voluntary action is always best. With this information local residents can 'name and shame' any companies with standards that are still too low.

"Environmentally conscious organisations should be praised, and those responsible for high levels of polluting emissions made to face up to their responsibilities."

By 2009 the register will have been broadened to include information also from thousands of smaller industrial plants and also report on pollution from road traffic, aviation, shipping and agriculture.

Notes to Editors:

Eper website - http://www.eper.cec.eu.int/eper/default.asp

INDUSTRY SECTORS covered by Eper are as follows:

ENERGY INDUSTRY, including thermal power stations, oil and gas refineries, coke ovens, and coal gasification and liquefaction plants.

METALS INDUSTRY, including ore roasting and sintering, and ferrous and non-ferrous metals production, plus surface treatment of metals and plastics.

MINERAL INDUSTRY, including cement, lime, glass and ceramic products, and manufacturing of plaster, asphalt, concrete, bricks, tiles and asbestos.

CHEMICALS INDUSTRY, including basic organic chemicals, inorganic chemicals or fertilisers, biocides, pesticides, explosives and pharmaceutical products.

WASTE INDUSTRY, including both municipal and hazardous waste disposal or recovery, including landfills, incinerators and other processing.

OTHER INDUSTRIES, including pulp and paper, fibres and textiles pre-treatment and manufacture, tanning of hides, skins and leather products, slaughterhouses, milk production, food and beverages manufacture, poultry and pig rearing, surface treatment using solvents including printing, and production of carbon and graphite.

POLLUTANTS covered by Eper are as follows:

The six KYOTO GREENHOUSE GASES: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, HFCs, PFCs and sulphur hexafluoride, all to air.

Seven other substances and groups in a GENERAL category: carbon monoxide, ammonia, non-methane VOCs, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide to air, and total nitrogen and total phosphorus to water.

Eight groups of METALS: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, nickel, lead and zinc, including compounds, to both air and water.

Fifteen substances and groups of CHLORINATED ORGANIC SUBSTANCES: dichloroethane, dichloromethane, hexachlorobenzene and hexachlorocyclohexane both to air and water; chloro-alkanes, hexachlorobutadiene and halogenated organics to water; dioxins and furans, pentachlorophenol, tetrachloroethylene, tetrachloromethane,trichlorobenzenes, trichloroethane, trichloroethylene and trichloromethane to air.

Seven substances and groups of OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS: benzene to air; benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, brominated diphenylether, organotins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols to water; total organic carbon to both.

And finally, another seven substances classed as OTHER COMPOUNDS: chlorides, cyanides and fluorides to water; chlorine and inorganic compounds, fluorine and inorganic compounds, HCN and PM10 fine particles to air