When chemical substances constituting a hazard to water (e. g. fire extinguishing media like foam concentrates) are handled (like storing, filling, manufacturing, treating) in facilities the Ordinances on Facilities for Handling dangerous Substances of the Bundeslander have to be considered. Operators of such facilities are obliged to perform or to establish safety measures aimed at the protection of waters (precautionary principle). Prerequisite for appropriate safety measures is the assessment of substances and mixtures / preparations and its classification into Water Hazard Classes (Wassergefahrdungsklassen) according to the Administrative Regulation on the Classification of Substances Hazardous to Waters (Verwaltungsvorschrift wassergefahrdende Stoffe; VwVwS) of 17 May, 1999.
The safety measures may concern for example storage facilities, storage volume, facility equipment, special surveillance obligation or notification duties.
Administrative Regulation on the Classification of Substances Hazardous to Waters of 17 May, 1999 (Verwaltungsvorschrift wassergefahrdende Stoffe; VwVwS)
The classification of substances hazardous to waters required by § 19 g Federal Water Act (Wasserhaushaltsgesetz) is described in the Administrative Regulation on the Classification of Substances Hazardous to Waters (VwVwS). The classification according VwVwS is based on § 4 a Ordinance on Hazardous Substances (Gefahrstoffverordnung - GefStoffV), which is directly linked with the European Directive 67/548/EEC. Classified substances listed in Annex 1 of Ell Directive 67/548/EEC are published in „Bundesanzeiger" by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
The hazardous potential of a substance or mixture depends besides its intrinsic properties on the kind of facility, the handled volume of the substances and on environmental conditions.Bibliography
ISO 649-2, Laboratory glassware — Density hydrometers for general purposes — Part 2: Test methods and use
ISO 3734, Petroleum products — Determination of water and sediment in residual fuel oils — Centrifuge method
1) Example of a suitable apparatus, available commercially, is supplied by:
a) SABO, Via Caravaggi 9, I-24040 Levate BG, Italy. This information is given for the convenience of users of this standard and does not constitute an endorsement by CEN of this product.
b) Swedish National Testing and Research Institute, Department of Fire Technology, Box 857, SE-501 15 BORAS, Sweden.
2) Further details are given in Nordtest Method NT Fire 023, obtainable from Nordtest, Postbox 22, SF - 00341 Helsinki, Finland.
3) An example of suitable apparatus, available commercially, is the Medtherm Series 64 supplied by Medtherm Corp., P.O. Box 412, Huntsville, AL, USA. This information is given for the convenience of users of this standard and does not constitute an endorsement by CEN of this product.
