WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2451/98 by Paul LANNOYE to the Commission. Dumping of toxic and hazardous waste near Bilbao airport
C 142/16 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 5. 1999 (1999/C 142/019) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2451/98 by Paul Lannoye (V) to the Commission (30 July 1998) Subject: Dumping of toxic and hazardous waste near Bilbao airport Following a complaint filed by a number of Bizcaya town councillors about the siting of a dump for toxic and hazardous waste and a leachate treatment plant near the runways of Bilbao airport, representing a huge danger to the neighbouring areas, and in view of the scale of the work. Could the Commission say whether: 1. 2. 3. the enlargement work at Bilbao airport complies with the requirements of Directive 85/337 (1) on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment; the toxic waste dump and the leachate treatment plant comply with Directive 85/337, Directive 91/ 689 (2) on hazardous waste and Directive 76/464 (3) on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community; the toxic waste dump, which is situated less than 100 metres from landing strips complies with the distances laid down in international conventions on aircraft safety; 4. Community assistance (ERDF, Cohesion Fund, etc. ) was received by these projects? (1) OJ L 175, 5. 7. 1985, p. 40. (2) OJ L 377, 31. 12. 1991, p. 20. (3) OJ L 129, 18. 5. 1976, p. 23. Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (29 September 1998) The Commission has received two complaints concerning the matter referred to by the 1. and 2. Honourable Member. In investigating the complaints, the Commission asked the Spanish authorities for their comments. The Spanish authorities recently sent extensive documentation in response. As this has yet to be studied, the Commission is not yet in a position to answer the questions asked by the Honourable Member. In the course of the investigation of the complaints, the complainants will be duly informed as to the conclusions reached after examination of the information sent by the Spanish authorities. 3. International rules on air safety fall within the competence of the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The Commission is not aware of any regulations on the dumping of waste near airports. At all events there are no Community rules on the subject. 4. The projects involving the dumping of hazardous toxic waste and the leachate treatment plant near Bilbao airport were included in the operational programmes cofinanced by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for the Basque Country − Objective 2, for the programming periods 1994- 1996 (first phase) and 1997-1999 (second phase). However, the Spanish authorities have withdrawn the two projects in question from the above programmes. Consequently they will not receive cofinancing under this Fund or, indeed, under the Cohesion Fund