AwSV: Ordinance on Installations for the Handling of Substances Hazardous to Water
The Ordinance on Installations for the Handling of Substances Hazardous to Water (AwSV) was adopted by the Federal Cabinet in February 2014 and then forwarded to the Bundesrat (Federal Council). The ordinance is intended to replace the former 16 ordinances of the individual German federal states (VAwS). It contains the classification of substances and mixtures according to their danger to water as well as the technical requirements on plants handling these substances and mixtures. Furthermore, the obligations of the plant operators are described.
The AwSV is valid for all types of plants dealing with substances hazardous to water. This means that it is valid for private fuel oil tanks as well as filling stations or refineries, electroplating systems and biogas plants. In addition, the Federal States have decided in the Bundesrat to incorporate a regulation for plants storing or filling up slurry, liquid manure, and silage effluent (so-called JGS plants). Concerning the construction of these JGS plants, regulations according the EU Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) are included in a national action programme for the protection of water from nitrate input from plants according to § 62a of the Water Resources Act (WHG). This action programme requires the execution of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in which the direct or indirect environmental impacts of the programme have to be determined, described, and assessed.
In September 2016, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) declared that, within the scope of the Strategic Environmental Assessment, the Environment Report including the draft of the action programme will be publicly displayed until the end of October 2016. According to this draft, plants for storing or filling up slurry, liquid manure, and silage effluent shall be constructed and operated in such a way that substances containing dung cannot leak out. Furthermore, leakages and leaked substances shall be determined quickly and reliably. In case of a fault or an accident, the leaked substances have to be properly utilized or disposed of. The public comment period expired on 24 November 2016. If the AwSV comes into force in 2017, the operators of biogas plants will be confronted with major changes.
We would be pleased to inform you beforehand of the planned changes within the scope of trainings or seminars at your place or on the occasion of an assessment on site. Just send us an e-mail.
