Council Directive 87/217/EEC on the prevention and reduction of environmental pollution by asbestos.

The objective of this Directive is to lay down measures and to supplement provisions already in force, with a view to preventing and reducing pollution caused by asbestos in the interests of the protection of human health and the environment. These provisions shall be applied without prejudice to those laid down by Directive 83/477/EEC. For the purposes of this Directive, asbestos shall include the fibrous silicates listed out in article 2 (1). Member States shall take the measures necessary to ensure that asbestos emissions into the air, asbestos discharges into the aquatic environment, and solid asbestos waste are reduced at source and prevented. Measurements are to be taken at regular intervals of emissions into the air and of discharges of aqueous effluent from facilities to which the limit values provided for in articles 4 and 5 apply. The Annex attached describes the methods of sampling and analysis to be followed.