THE REGULATION OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS UNDER THE WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE

摘要

'Good ecological surface water status' is achieved when, inter alia, the EQSs set by Member States for Annex VIII pollutants, and the forthcoming EC standards under Article 16 on hazardous substances, are complied with. Similarly, 'good chemical surface water status' will be realised where pollutant concentrations in surface water bodies do not exceed Community EQSs adopted under Article 16 or the limits set in the daughter directives listed in Annex IX and any other relevant Community legislation. The directive provides new features for overall water protection, but when it comes to pollution control, emission control and EQSs are the major instruments within its framework in addressing pollution problems. Perhaps the directive provides better protection of the aquatic environment than its predecessors, but as long as these measures are relied on water quality issues posed by endocrine disruptors may not be satisfactorily addressed. As the directive itself recognises, the cessation or phasing-out of certain hazardous substances needs to be pursued, and product control may be the only way of achieving this. To the extent that the directive provides inadequate protection of the aquatic environment from endocrine disruptors, it is hoped that REACH might serve to fill the gap, although REACH itself is not without its limitations.