The plenary of the European Parliament (EP) adopted a resolution today in calling for a ban on the use of cyanide in the European mining before the end of 2011 to protect water resources and biodiversity.
Brussels Belgium - 05/05/2010.
The text, adopted with 488 votes in favor, 48 against and 57 abstentions, calls on the European Commission (EC) propose such a measure and eliminate any direct or indirect support mining projects involving the use of cyanide. MEPs also call on the EU executive to support the regeneration of areas where it is present this type of mining granting financial support to encourage green industries, renewable energy and tourism.
The EP also calls for amending the current legislation on the management of waste from extractive industries companies are required to provide insurance compensation for accidents or operational problems that create pollution.
European Parliament resolution on the prohibition of mining technologies
cyanide-based EU B7-0240/2010
Parliament,
- having regard to Article 191 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
- having regard to the precautionary principle laid down in the Rio Declaration on Environment
Environment and Development and the Convention on Biological Diversity, June 1992 (Rio de Janeiro)
- having regard to the environmental objectives of Directive 2000/60/EC
European Council of 23 October 2000, which establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy
- having regard to Directive 2006/21/EC of the European Parliament and Council of 15 March
2006 on the management of waste from extractive industries, by allowing the use of cyanide in mining within a maximum allowable levels,
- having regard to Directive 2003/105/EC of the European Parliament and Council of 16 December 2003 by amending Directive 96/82/EC (Seveso II) of the Council on the control of the risks associated with major accidents involving dangerous substances,
- Vista Directive 2004/35/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 21 April 2004 on environmental liability, under which Member States may exempt operators to bear the costs of environmental damage if certain circumstances are shown,
- having regard to Agenda 18 months of the English, Belgian and Hungarian and policy priorities water and biodiversity,
- having regard to the measures of the Czech Republic on the general prohibition of the use of technologies based on cyanide mining with the amendment of Law no 44/1988 of mine 2000, and the amendment of Law 48/1993 Hungarian mines, 2009 laying introduces a ban on the use of technologies based on cyanide mining in the territory of Hungary and the German decree enacted in 2002 prohibiting cyanide leaching in mining,
- Vista the question, March 17, 2010, the Commission on the Prohibition of the use of technologies based on cyanide mining in the EU (O-0035/2010 - B7-0206/2010)
- having regard to Article 115, paragraph 5, and Article 110, paragraph 2 of the Rules,
A. Whereas the United Nations has declared 2010 International Year of Biodiversity, a statement by inviting the world to act in 2010 to protect biodiversity on Earth,
B. Considering that cyanide is a highly toxic chemical used in gold mining and, in Annex VIII of the framework directive on water policy, is ranked as one of the main pollutants, and can have catastrophic and irreversible impacts environmental and human health, and hence on biodiversity,
C. Whereas, the Common Position of Ministers of Environment of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia on sustainable mining, issued at the 14th meeting of the Ministers of Environment of the Visegrad Group on 25 May 2007 Prague (Czech Republic), they expressed concern about dangerous technologies used and planned mining activities in various areas of the region that pose significant environmental risks with potential transboundary effects,
D. Whereas, under the Sofia Convention on Cooperation for the protection and sustainable use of the Danube, the parties agreed that in addition to the priority hazardous substances under the framework directive on water policy, cyanide is classified as a hazardous substance important
E. Whereas in the past 25 years have been recorded worldwide over 30 major accidents related to discharges of cyanide and that there is no real guarantee that does not recur such an accident, especially given the increase in extreme weather conditions, for example, intense and frequent rainfall, as envisaged in the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,
F. Whereas several Member States of the European Union are considering new gold mining projects to large scale open pit using cyanide-based technologies in densely populated areas, thus generating new potential threats to human health and the environment,
G. Whereas, in accordance with the framework directive on water policy, Member States are required to achieve and maintain good water resources and to prevent contamination by hazardous substances, and whereas, however, that the quality of water may also depend on water quality in the river basin in question situated in neighboring countries that use technology based on cyanide mining,
H. Whereas cross-border effects of accidents involving cyanide, in particular regarding pollution of major river basins and groundwater, underscore the need for a common approach at EU level address the serious environmental threat posed by the use of cyanide in mining,
I. Whereas it still lacks prudential rules and adequate financial guarantees, and that the application of existing legislation regarding the use of cyanide in mining also depends on the powers of the executive powers of each Member State, so a future accident is only a matter of time and neglect,
J. Whereas some Member States have not yet fully implemented
Directive on waste from mining,
K. Whereas mining using cyanide creates little employment and only for a period of between eight and sixteen, but it can cause enormous ecological damage border that usually are not compensated by the responsible operators, which usually disappear or go to bankruptcy, but by the State concerned, ie, by taxpayers,
L. Considering that operators do not have long-term insurance to cover costs in case of accident or malfunction in the future, M. Whereas it is necessary to extract a ton of low-grade ores to produce two grams of gold, which generates an enormous amount of mine tailings in mining areas, while between 25 and 50% of gold is finally in waste pile, considering also that large scale mining projects that use cyanide used several million kilograms of sodium cyanide per year and that a failure in transport and storage can have catastrophic consequences,
N. Whereas there are alternatives to the use of cyanide in mining that could replace the cyanide-based technologies,
O. Considering the public outcry against the current mining projects that use cyanide in Europe, which has involved not only individual citizens, local communities and NGOs but also government organizations, governments and politicians,
1. 1. believes that compliance with the objectives of the EU under the framework directive on water policy, namely to achieve a good chemical and protect water resources and protection of biodiversity can only be achieved by prohibiting mining technologies based on cyanide;
2. 2. Calls on the Commission to impose a ban on the use of technologies based on cyanide mining in the European Union before it ends 2011, since it is the only sure way to protect our water resources and ecosystems from cyanide pollution from mining activities, and at the same time, make a regular assessment of the impact;
3. 3. Notes relevant initiatives within the EU and the United Nations system and actively encourages the development and implementation of mining safer alternatives, including alternative mining without cyanide;
4. 4. Calls on the Commission and Member States not to provide support to any mining project that employs technology based on cyanide mining in the EU, directly or indirectly, until the prohibition applies, or support projects of this kind in third countries;
5. 5. Calls on the Commission to propose an amendment to existing legislation on the management of waste from extractive industries, to require that all operators are required to have insurance for damages and to cover all costs of remedial measures designed to restore the original ecological and chemical status in case of accident or malfunction;
6. 6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission and the parliaments and governments of the Member States.
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