Mining and the Environment in the European Union

New policies related to mining and the environment in the European Union (EU) entered into force at year end 2006.

Related Articles 1872 Mining Law

A general review of mining and environment policy in the EU starts with a discussion of the security and economic interests guiding EU policy in the immediate post-WWII era. In the early 1950s, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) served as the driving force for both community building and reconstruction efforts. The restoration of local drinking water systems and agricultural areas damaged by the war, accounted for most of the era's environmental policy.

Environmental policies addressing the consequences of reindustrialization began to take shape in the 1970s. At that time, issues such as acid rain (caused partly by emissions from coal-fired facilities) were being identified by many of the northern tier states as the cause of fresh water and forest related problems in their territories. By the end of the decade, states in the region had negotiated and signed The Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Pollution (1979) to systematically address environmental problems linked to acid rain.

Mining and environment issues still top the EU agenda, as well as the agendas of many member states. You can see examples daily. In Iceland, for example, residents have been debating the economic and environmental pros ands cons of expanding their aluminum production capacity for five years.

Critical economic industries, such as the Airbus, require the use of large amounts of metals like aluminum and aluminum alloys. Aluminum production facilities are common in many member states (you can see up to date production statistics here). There are also minor bauxite mining operations in Europe. However, European aluminum production capacity exceeds local bauxite mining capacity and producers rely on foreign bauxite sources to close the gap.

The sheer volume of mining waste, and several accidental toxic discharges provided the impetus for EU member states to recently revise their Mining and Environment Policy. The EU estimates that mining waste accounts for approximately 30% of the total waste generated within its territory each year. Accidents such as the 2000 Bair Mare accident that released large quantities of cyanide into the Danube River and some local tributaries, convinced EU members of the need to strengthen waste management policies.

The new mining waste management directive provides the basic framework and principles for guiding member states in the development of their individual policies. The directives key themes are sustainable mining practices and the Polluter Pays Principle. In order to promote the long term sustainability of the mining industry, the directive sets out a series of minimum guidelines, or waste management regulations, that cover any specific mining operation through its life-cycle, from construction to production to decommissioning.

The EU directive provides no overnight solutions for improving mining waste management practices. Instead, it sets May 2012 as a target date for complete member state implementation.

© 2007. Patricia A. Michaels.