Waste: elimination of polychlorinated biphenyls PCB and polychlorinated terphenyls PCT

OBJECTIVE : to approximate the laws of the Member States on the controlled disposal of PCB/PCT and equipment contaminated by such substances (in particular, transformers and condensers). COMMUNITY MEASURE: Council Directive 96/59/EC on the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCB/ PCT). SUBSTANCE : the Directive amends and replaces Directive 76/403/EEC on the disposal of PCBs, which became obsolete following the prohibition of the marketing of such substances and the progress in disposal technologies. The main elements of the Directive are as follows: - Member States are required, within a three-year period, to draw up plans for the decontamination and/or disposal of inventoried equipment and the PCBs contained therein, as well as outlines for the collection and subsequent disposal of equipment which is not subject to inventory; these plans and outlines are communicated to the Commission; - deadline for decontamination and/or disposal of equipment containing PCBs which is subject to inventory: end of 2010, except for certain transformers containing between 50 and 500 ppm (particles per million) in PCBs which can remain in service until the end of their useful lives; - PCB volumes required for the compiling of the abovementioned inventory: more than 5 dm3. An interim report on the implementation of the Directive will be drawn up by the Commission in the year 2000. DATE of ENTRY INTO FORCE : 16 September 1996 DEADLINE FOR TRANSPOSITION INTO NATIONAL LEGISLATION: 16 March 1998. �