The new year is off to an interesting start in the field of environmental protection. Two new key regulations under the Federal Immission Control Act have been amended:
4. BImSchV (Federal Immission Control Ordinance), Installations requiring authorisation:
The definition of ‘warehouse’ has now been broadened, meaning that, in future, more warehouses are likely to be subject to authorisation.
12. BImSchV, Major Accidents Ordinance:
The long-overdue transposition of the Seveso III Directive into German law. This introduces new terms (what was previously referred to as "basic obligations" will in future be termed "lower-class establishment", and what was previously referred to as "extended obligations" will be termed "upper-class establishment"). In addition, the legislation is being brought into line with the GHS/CLP Regulation. This will result in changes for all establishments using chromium trioxide; in some cases, these will fall below the quantity threshold set out in Annex I and will therefore no longer be covered by the Major Accidents Ordinance. Consequently, there are further obligations and deadlines to be met.