Abstract

The government issues permits to companies specifying the quantity of chemical substances that they are allowed to emit, including substances of very high concern (SVHCs). These permits are usually issued for a single substance, but companies often emit mixtures of various substances simultaneously. People and the environment can be exposed to these (cumulation). The probability that a mixture will have harmful effects could be higher than the probability of the constituent substances having harmful effects individually. How high that probability is will depend on the composition, concentrations and harmfulness of the substances.

A study conducted by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) reveals that the effects of mixtures receive scant attention within the permit issuance process at present. The study, which was commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, also identified options to address this.

RIVM sets out the methods that authorities can use both for the permit issuance process and to enable them to gauge the effects of mixtures of substances on humans and the environment. The study also looked at how nearby countries and regions such as Denmark, Belgium (Flanders) and Germany factor in the effects of mixtures.

RIVM would recommend investigating which steps within the permit issuance process would be the best ones to factor the cumulative effects into. In this regard, it is important to give due consideration to the safety margins already in place. It will also be necessary to flesh out the proposals with parties involved, such as environmental agencies, thus ensuring that they are more readily implementable in practice.

RIVM also makes recommendations for follow-up research, such as charting the places in the Netherlands where SVHCs and other chemical substances are most prevalent, making it possible to tackle these locations first. In addition, attention will need to be given to the quantity of the licensed substances ending up in the soil and water from the air. As things currently stand, precipitation onto soil and water is largely unmonitored, as is the cumulative effect thereof.

Finally, RIVM is keen to stress in general that levels of SVHCs emitted into the living environment should be minimised. This will reduce the potential cumulative effects of these SVHCs on humans and the environment.