Annex
Overview of the main provisions of European Community Legislation
with a relevance to Lead
Council Directive 67/548/EEC on the classification, packaging and labelling of
dangerous substances
Lead metal, as the powder or in bulk form, is not (yet) classified. However, lead compounds
not otherwise specified in Annex 1 of Directive 67/548/EEC are classified as follows:
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Repr. Cat. 1; R61 (risk to unborn child)
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Repr. Cat. 3; R62 (risk of impaired fertility
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Xn; R20/22 (harmful by inhalation and ingestion)
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R33 (danger of cumulative effects)
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N; R50-53 Very toxic to aquatic organisms; may cause long-term adverse effects in the
aquatic environment
Council Directive 1999/45/EC on the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous
preparations
All preparations containing dangerous substances classified under Directive 67/548/EEC
above a certain threshold have to be classified accordingly
Commission Directive 2001/58/EC amending Directive 91/155/EEC defining and laying
down detailed arrangements for the system of specific information relating to dangerous
preparations and substances (safety data sheets)
For dangerous substances and dangerous preparations, professional users are entitled to
receive a safety data sheet which contains information on the intrinsic properties of the
substance / components of the preparations, their classification and labelling requirements,
and information on for example storage, waste disposal, emergency measures etc.
Council Directive 76/769/EEC on restrictions on the marketing and use of certain
dangerous substances and preparations
Bans the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations. With regard to
lead and lead compounds, the following are restricted:
Lead-based Paint
The use of lead-based paint in residential applications was officially banned under EU
Council Directive 89/677/EEC amending Council Directive 76/769/EEC (prohibits the
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use of lead carbonates and lead sulphates in paints except for the restoration of works of
art and historic buildings)
Council Directive 98/24/EC on the protection of the health and safety of workers from
the risks related to chemical agents at work (Fourteenth individual Directive within the
meaning of Article 16 (1) of Directive 89/391/EEC)
Sets binding occupational exposure limits for lead and its ionic compounds in blood.
Council Directive 92/85/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage
improvements in the safety and health of pregnant workers and workers who have
recently given birth or are breast-feeding (Tenth individual Directive within the
meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC)
Sets out measures to protect pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or
are breast-feeding, including the requirement to assess exposure to health risks including lead
compounds due to their reprotoxic effects.
Council Directive 94/33/EC on the protection of young people at work
Prohibits the use of certain chemical agents, including lead compounds as a reprotoxic agent,
by young workers.
Council Directive 88/378/EEC on the safety of toys
Established extraction limits for the bioavailability any lead contained in children’s toys.
Council Directive 76/768/EEC on cosmetic products
Bans the use of lead and lead compounds in cosmetics, with an exemption for the use of lead
acetate in hair treatments.
Council Directive 91/689/EEC on hazardous waste
Sets out the requirements for the management of hazardous wastes, such as wastes containing
lead compounds above a certain threshold.
European Parliament and Council Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging
waste as amended by Directive 2005/20/EC
The Directive eliminated this application of lead by reducing the sum of the amount of lead,
cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium present in packaging or packaging components
to 100 ppm by the year 2001
Council Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the
restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic
equipment (RoHS)
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Bans the use of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls
(PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in new electrical and electronic
equipment put on the market from 1 July 2006. There are exemptions for certain uses such as
lead as an alloying element in steel, aluminium and copper.
Directive 2002/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste electrical
and electronic equipment (WEEE) as amended by Directive 2003/108/EC
Sets criteria for the collection, treatment, recycling and recovery of waste electrical and
electronic equipment and makes producers responsible for financing most of these activities.
Council Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on end-oflife vehicles
Bans the use of lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium in new vehicles put on the
market from 1 July 2003. There are exemptions for certain uses such as lead as an alloying
element in steel and copper, and lead in batteries and vibration dampers.
Council Directive 91/157/EEC on batteries and accumulators containing certain
dangerous substances as amended by Directive 98/101/EC
Sets out measures relating to the recovery and disposal of spent batteries and accumulators
containing certain dangerous substances, such as batteries containing greater than 0.4% lead
by weight.
Council 85/210/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning
the lead content of petrol – repealed by Directive 98/70/EC as amended
Restricts the content lead in petrol to 0,005 g/ltr.
Council Directive 96/62/EC on ambient air quality assessment and management
The Framework Directive 96/62/EC set-out a common strategy to define and set objectives for
ambient air quality. Lead concentrations in the ambient air were addressed by the 1st Daughter
Directive (1999/30/EC), and a limit value (expressed as an average over a calendar year) of 0.5
ng/m3 was specified based upon WHO guidelines.
Commission Decision 2000/479/EC on the implementation of a European pollutant
emission register (EPER)
According to the EPER Decision, Member States have to produce a triennial report on the
emissions of industrial facilities regulated under Council Directive 96/61/EC on integrated
pollution prevention and control (IPPC) into the air and waters. The report covers 50
pollutants including lead.
Council Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23
October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water
policy
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Sets out objectives in the field of water policy including priority status and quality standard
requirements for lead. Lead and its compounds are classed as ‘priority substances under
review’ under the Water Framework Directive; this classification means that the substances so
listed may be proposed as priority hazardous substances if justified by further investigation.
Council Directive 86/278/EEC on the protection of the environment, and in
particular of the soil, when sewage sludge is used in agriculture
This Directive prohibits the sludge from sewage treatment plants from being used in
agriculture unless specified requirements are fulfilled, including the testing of the sludge and
the soil. Parameters subject to the provisions of the Directive include amongst others the
content of lead and cadmium.
Council Directive 84/500/EEC October 1984 on the approximation of the laws of the
Member States relating to ceramic articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs
as amended by Directive 2005/31/EC
The Directive lays down maximum limits for the cadmium and lead transferred by ceramic
objects to the foodstuffs with which they enter into contact.
Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption
In the Directive the guideline for Pb in drinking water is reduced from 50 µg Pb L-1 to 10 µg
Pb L-1, with a 15 year transition period to allow for replacing lead distribution pipes.
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