WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3266/97 by María ESTEVAN BOLEA to the Commission. Management of hazardous waste
C 158/74 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 25. 5. 98 (98/C 158/95) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3261/97 by Peter Skinner (PSE) to the Commission (20 October 1997) Subject: Comparative fire statistics in the European Community The monitoring of deaths, injuries and property losses from fire is important in identifying best practice for the fire fighting services. The present system of statistical compilation on a national level hinders vital transnational cooperation. The data offered by the world statistics centre are inadequate and are regarded by the Federation of European Union Fire Officer Association (FEU) as unreliable. Would the Commission agree that it would be productive for the Community to compile some common, basic information which could help identify future priorities and best practice? Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (25 November 1997) The Commission considers that it would be extremely useful for the Member States to have better information and statistics with regard to fire effects. The Commission has no information on fire statistics offered by the world statistics centre. With respect to accidents involving personal injury, statistics on health and safety are included in the framework programme for priority actions in the field of statistical information 1993 to 1997 (1) (Council Decision 93/464/EEC). The European home and leisure accident surveillance system (EHLASS) provides data on home and leisure accidents in the Community, including on those accidents caused by flames. For accidents at work, including on those accidents which cause burns, data are collected at Community level through the European statistics on accidents at work (ESAW) project. Future improvements to ESAW may enable it to identify the accident mechanism (whether or not it was caused by a fire). Accidents and injuries are also included in the non-exhaustive list of areas given in Annex 2 of the Parliament and Council Decision 1400/97/EC of 30 June 1997 adopting a programme of Community action on health monitoring (2). In addition, injury prevention is an area on which the Commission has adopted a communication and a proposal for a programme of Community action (from 1999 to 2003) (3). In addition, the whole range of questions related to fires are included in the Community action programme in the field of civil protection currently under discussion in the Council (4). The Commission is ready to support initiatives which would lead to an improvement in the related basic and common information at Community level, provided that adequate resources and means are available in the context of the relevant Community action programmes. (1) OJ L 219, 28. 8. 1993. (2) OJ L 193, 22. 7. 1997. (3) COM(97) 178 final. (4) COM(96) 219. (98/C 158/96) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3266/97 by Mar ·a Estevan Bolea (PPE) to the Commission (20 October 1997) Subject: Management of hazardous waste According to EU figures, 30 million tonnes (1992 figure) of hazardous waste are produced every year, of which 16. 5 million tonnes a year (55%) are properly processed. Out of the latter amount, 7. 5 million tonnes a year are incinerated. How many tonnes of hazardous waste are burned at European cement works? Could the Commission give a breakdown by Member State?