Subject: Mercury pollution in the Ría de Pontevedra
A report drawn up by ENCE, a Spanish company, acknowledges that mercury levels in areas in which it operates in the Ría de Pontevedra (a major estuary), as well as in groundwater in the areas concerned, have exceeded the limits laid down in the relevant legislation. The mercury is thought to be the result of operations by Elnosa – which was owned by ENCE until 2004 – on a neighbouring site that is currently being decommissioned.
ENCE’s report is extremely critical of the decommissioning plan, stating that no account has been taken of ‘the possible effects and risks – resulting principally from decommissioning but also from decontamination – that could arise at the site licensed to ENCE (soil, subsoil and groundwater), affecting its operations and/or its workers’. The report warns of the groundwater-related risk of mercury being discharged into the ría.
Mercury poses a risk to human health and to the environment in and around the ría. With that in mind, is the Commission aware of the situation and of the risk posed by mercury discharges, especially given that the Galician Government is maintaining that there is no cause for concern, despite ENCE’s warnings? Is the Commission going to approach the Galician Government to enquire about the situation? Is the Commission intending to take action to ensure that the ría and the public are protected?
Answer given by Mr Sinkevičius on behalf of the European Commission (2 July 2021)
Under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) (1), Member States are required to identify sources of pollutants and to implement measures to reduce or phase out emissions and meet the standards set under the Environmental Quality Standards Directive (EQSD) (2) and the Groundwater Directive (3). It is for Member States to monitor the occurrence of pollutants, such as the priority substance mercury and its compounds (4), in the aquatic environment and to take all necessary measures so that water bodies achieve environmental objectives (5).
In the context of the WFD, the Commission made a general assessment of the second Spanish River Basin Management Plans (6) and provided recommendations to Spain, which included improving the assessment of water bodies and the monitoring of priority substances. The Commission is following-up on these recommendations and assessing whether Spanish authorities have put in place appropriate measures to reduce emissions.
The Commission will continue monitoring the implementation of the WFD and EQSD in Spain, notably in connection with a future general assessment of the third Spanish River Basin Management Plans. The public consultation of the Galicia-Coast River Basin Management plan (2022-2027) is ongoing (7), which represents an opportunity to raise the concerns on this particular case of the Ria de Pontevedra.
⋅1∙ Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water
policy, OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1‐73.
⋅2∙ Directive 2013/39/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 August 2013 amending Directives 2000/60/EC and 2008/105/EC as regards priority
substances in the field of water policy, OJ L 226, 24.8.2013, p. 1‐17.
⋅3∙ Directive 2006/118/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 on the protection of groundwater against pollution and deterioration,
OJ L 372, 27.12.2006, p. 19‐31.
⋅4∙ Mercury and its compounds is a priority substance under the EQSD with a quality standard of 0,07 microgram per litre in surface waters, and 20 microgram per
kilogram wet weight in biota.
⋅5∙ According the Galicia-Coast River Basin Management Plan (2015-2021) the water bodies in the Ria de Pontevedra are in good status.
⋅6∙ https://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/participation/map_mc/countries/spain_en.htm
⋅7∙ https://augasdegalicia.xunta.gal/seccion-tema/c/Participacion_cidadana_procesos_info_publica?content=participacion-na-planificacion-
hidroloxica/seccion.html&std=contenido-3.html&sub=subseccion/
