Directive on the Management of waste from the extractive industries (2006/21/EC)
The purpose of the directive is to prevent or minimise any adverse effects on the environment and risks to health resulting from the management of waste from mining and other extractive industries. According to the directive all waste facility operators must draw up a waste management plan including a closure plan and after-closure procedures. Some waste facilities must also draw up policies for preventing accidents and also lodge guarantees for reclamation costs. Existing waste facilities must apply to most of the directive's requirements by May 2012. The requirements regarding guarantees for reclamation costs must be applied to in 2014.
Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)
The Water Framework Directive protects both Surface and Ground water and lays down a range of requirements for the sustainable use of water. The authorities shall establish quality requirements to all types of water and also produce management plans and programmes of measures for the companies to follow. Most of the quality requirements that concern Boliden (which primarily relate to emissions to water) must be fulfilled in 2015.
REACH (1907/2006/EC)
The aim with EU's chemicals legislation, REACH is to take a holistic approach to chemical health and environmental hazards in order to reduce risks and deficiencies in the chemicals handling chain. The companies’ duty is to investigate chemical substances’ health and environmental effects, and to carry out risk assessments. Every substance that a company manufactures or imports in quantities of one tonne or more, must be pre-register with the European chemicals authority. Secondary raw materials in the form of recycling materials are also a subject of the registration requirement. Ores and metal concentrates do not, however, have to be registered but their handling may require permits, depending on their content.
The WEEE Directive (2002/96/EC)
The most important driving force in further boosting commercial recycling operations at present is the EU directive on the WEEE-waste. The directive requires every country, by means of national legislation, to tighten up producer responsibility for electronic and electrical products. Scrap electronic products, such as household appliances and home electronics must be processed and recycled by their producers, who are simultaneously also given an incentive to manufacture products that are easily recycled. For Boliden this means an increased access to secondary material.