Paper on Harmonisation with EU legislation in the Czech republic: transposition of the 2001/80 Directive on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants

Introduction

History of air protection in the Czech Republic

Emission limit values for large and medium-sized combustion plants and conditions for protection of the air were stipulated in the Czech Republic in the year 1991 in Measure of the Federal Environmental Committee concerning the Act on Air, No. 309/1991 Coll. This Measure specified emission limit values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particles and carbon monoxide for combustion plants with rated thermal output of 0.2 MW and greater.

In 1997, part of the Measure concerning emissions was repealed through Decree of the Ministry of the Environment of CR No. 117/1997 Coll. This Decree stipulated emission limit values for individual types of combustion plants, laid down the requirements for their operation, keeping of operational records, emission measurements and also requirements for the quality of fuels from the viewpoint of their sulphur content. The Decree was amended in 2000.

Implementation of the emission limit values and other requirements stipulated in the above-specified regulations has led to an order-of-magnitude reduction of emissions of particles and sulphur dioxide and to a marked decrease in emissions of other pollutants. Emissions of sulphur dioxide in the year 2001 were 4 times lower than in the year 1995, while emissions of particles were 3.5 times lower. A substantial, although not as high a reduction has been achieved in the reduction of emissions of nitrogen oxides.

In Annex No. 2, Part 1 “Fuel and energy industry”, of Decree No. 117/1997 Coll. air protection conditions were imposed for all plants whose rated thermal output exceeded 0.2 MW. Decree No. 117/1997 Coll. adopted the vast majority of emission limit values and conditions for operation of pollution sources from the Measure of the Federal Environmental Committee, whose concepts followed, in particular, from air protection legislation in Germany, namely the TA LUFT regulation, and for large boilers, from the Regulation of the Germany on large combustion plants.

Undoubtedly, these limits have fulfilled their purpose as they have led to a substantial reduction in annual national emissions of a number of pollutants. The vast majority of plants complied with the new limits within the deadline laid down by the Act on air of December 31, 1998.

As a result of the above-mentioned measures, the following reductions in emissions from existing plants in the Czech Republic were achieved between 1996 and 2000.

Table 1: Emission reduction of pollutants in the Czech Republic

Implementation of the Decree has also contributed to fulfillment of international commitments in the area of air pollution. This is valid, in particular, for the Geneva Convention on Long-range Trans-boundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP).