In Romania, the first law regarding the environment, the Environment Protection Law, was adopted in 1995. Based on it, the Romanian Government adopted on March 13th, 2000 the Government Ordinance No.173, regarding the regulation of the special policy on administration and control of the polychlorinated biphenyls and other similar compounds. Through this Ordinance, the Government sets under clear regulation all forms of polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated terphenils and other substances. The Ordinance also sets the minimum and maximum levels of concentration, deadlines to eliminate these substances (art. 17/3,4), as well as the responsibilities of various organisms and state institutions in this field.

The full text of the law is available here.

Through this Ordinance, Romania adopted the European legislation (96/59 EC Directive) and accepted the deadlines – September 15th, 2006 for equipment with PCB concentration of more than 500 ppm, and 2010 for equipment with a level of PCB under 500 ppm – for eliminating these equipments according to current regulations.

Romanian legislation was completed by the 279/April 3rd, 2002 Order of the Ministry of Water and Environment, regarding the establishment of the Technical Secretariat for the administration and control of the nominated compounds, within the Direction for administration of hazardous waste and chemicals, in the Ministry of Environment.

More information here.

Romania also adopted on August 16th, 2002, the 856 Government Ordinance, regarding the regulation of waste management and approval of the list with waste materials, including hazardous waste.

More information here.

In the European Union, removal of the polychlorinated biphenyls is under regulation by the 96/59 EC Directive, issued on September 16th, 1996. The Directive sets responsibilities for EU members and deadlines.

The full text of the Directive can be read here.