Explanatory note

The discharge of special category effluent is subject to control by the Secretary of State under the provisions of Chapter III of Part IV of the Water Industry Act 1991.

These Regulations provide that trade effluent derived from any process which occasions liquid discharges of trichloroethylene or perchloroethylene in quantities of thirty kilogrammes or more per year shall be special category effluent for the purposes of that Chapter.

The Regulations are made in order to implement Council Directive 90/415/EEC^f1 in relation to the discharge to sewer of trichloroethylene or perchlorethylene.

Council Directive 90/415/EEC amends Annex II to Council Directive 86/280/EEC^f2 on limit values and quality objectives for discharges of certain dangerous substances included in List I of the Annex to Council Directive 76/464/EEC^f3.