Norwegian oil-laden waste water imports against EU law, Danish authorities confirm

The import of Norwegian oil-laden wastewater is contrary to EU law, according to the Danish environmental authorities, contradicting earlier claims by Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke, backed up by a document from the Norwegian Environment Agency.

In a recent revelation by Danemark Radio, Denmark’s environmental authorities admitted to a “material breach” of EU law about allowing RGS Nordic (now IWS) to import oil-laden wastewater and discharge environmentally hazardous substances into Agersø Sund in western Denmark.

However, at a press conference in mid-December, Danish Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke claimed there was no evidence to say Denmark had not complied with EU legislation by granting IWS import licences for Norwegian oil wastewaters.

However, at the same press conference, Heunicke announced the withdrawal of two permits granted to IWS to import Norwegian wastewater. One of the reasons given was the vulnerability of Agersø Sund, which is classified as a sensitive water area.

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency thus wrote to IWS, stating that one of the company’s import licences was withdrawn, and a copy of the decision was subsequently sent to the Norwegian authorities.

In the decision, it is now revealed that the Danish Environmental Protection Agency wrote, among other things, that the import permit in question was issued “in violation of the rules”, that the agency “did not have the authority to grant a permit” for the import of the oil waste waters and that “it is a significant violation of EU law, which aims to ensure a high level of environmental protection”.

Earlier warnings from the state prosecutor, the Attorney General’s Office, pointed to the likely illegality of granting such permits – but despite the warnings, the authorities interpreted the rules differently and issued the now withdrawn import licences in June 2022.

In withdrawing the two licences, Heunicke admitted that the ministry’s previous interpretation had been “too lax” following consultation with the European Commission.

Still, he maintained that the licences were legal.

In addition to revoking two of IWS’ import licences, Heunicke reiterated that he would now “review each and every import licence” to see if he and his ministry should stop several of the wastewater imports that the authorities have given the go-ahead for sailing to Denmark and dumping into the sea here.

(Charles Szumski | Euractiv.com)