UNEP: Overview of existing and future national actions, including legislation, relevant to cadmium
- This appendix contains a compilation of information with regards to ongoing and future national actions on cadmium, submitted to UNEP as part of the process to develop the review of scientific information on cadmium called for in GC decision 23/9 III, to be made available to the Governing Council at its 24th regular session in early 2007.
- It has been assembled after a review of the submitted information, as received by July 2006, in order to identify and compile specific information for each reporting country relating to ongoing or future national actions, including legislation. In addition, national information has been supplemented by input from the respective national members of the Working Group on lead and cadmium. The tables might provide an overview, by region, of how cadmium use and emissions are controlled in various countries of the world.
- In the table, national actions, including legislation, are reported according to the following grouping:
A. Environmental quality standards, specifying a maximum acceptable cadmium concentration for different media, such as:
a) Drinking water;
b) Surface water;
c) Ground water;
d) Irrigation water;
e) Air (urban air, background, etc);
f) Soil;
g) Food standards, specifying a maximum acceptable cadmium concentration for
different food categories, such as fish and seafood, milk, meat; cereals, etc.
B. Environmental source actions and regulations that control cadmium releases into the environment;
a) Air and water point sources, such as:
· Smelters;
· Energy production;
· Metal ore mining;
· Iron and steel manufacturing processes;
· Cement, lime, plaster and concrete manufacturing processes.
b) Waste disposal restrictions, such as:
· Waste from outdated products;
· Specific waste from different industrial activities;
· Treated wastewater;
· Sewage sludge.