Integrated Pollution Control: Directives 96/61 & Spanish Law 16/2002

Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC)

1.2. Evolution of Environmental Treatment Regimes

This section restates the traditional approach to environmental treatment prevalent over the last 20 years. Traditional treatment regimes established separate pollution controls (air, water, land), resulting in negative consequences for the media involved. This approach did not provide a wide margin of maneuver for the polluting industry, ultimately reflecting a vision of compartments that failed to account for the interconnection between environmental media.

The Integrated System: Directive 96/61/EC

The integrated system, established by Directive 96/61/EC on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control, fundamentally changed this perspective. It addresses the impact or effects of industrial processes on different environmental media, viewing them as an interrelated whole. A holistic vision is applied.

The legal consequence of this shift is clearly enshrined in the Community Directive (Directive 96/61/EC), setting a standard that inevitably influences state legislation, which in turn affects regional regulations. This integrated approach was a key legal consequence of the initial legislative draft.

Transposition of IPPC Directives in Spain

In Spain, this transposition was carried out at the state level by Law 16/2002, and in Catalonia by Law 3/1998.

Law 16/2002, concerning integrated prevention and pollution, transposes both Directive 96/61/EC and Directive 99/13/EC into the Spanish legal system. This legislation aims...