{"id":108579,"date":"2022-10-26T15:59:43","date_gmt":"2022-10-26T13:59:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/?p=108579"},"modified":"2022-10-26T16:12:06","modified_gmt":"2022-10-26T14:12:06","slug":"european-commission-makes-steps-to-tackle-water-pollution-but-falls-short-on-chemical-mixtures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/en\/european-commission-makes-steps-to-tackle-water-pollution-but-falls-short-on-chemical-mixtures\/","title":{"rendered":"European Commission makes steps to tackle water pollution but falls short on chemical mixtures"},"content":{"rendered":"

Released today, the revised EU rules for clean water target pollutants of emerging concern but lack teeth to address chemical cocktails effects, warns the EEB.<\/span><\/b><\/h4>\n

The European Commission released a set of initiatives today [1] to speed up the transition towards a zero-pollution and toxic-free environment. The EEB welcomes the<\/span> Zero Pollution package, including the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and the Updated lists of surface and groundwater pollutants, as a potential step in the right direction but stressed that much more needs to be done to get to a safe and clean environment.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cScience is clear about the urgency to tackle all kinds of pollution and the Commission\u2019s plan to tackle pollutants of emerging concern in our waters such as pharmaceuticals is much needed and<\/span>,<\/span> if anything, is overdue. The EU has committed to achieve zero pollution by 2050 and we need a speedy adoption of these pieces of legislation as well as an effective roll out across the EU, including making the polluters pay\u201d, said Sergiy Moroz, Policy Manager for Biodiversity and Water at the EEB<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The European Environmental Bureau welcomes <\/span>the revision of the rules related to urban wastewater treatment including the new requirement for producers of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals to share the costs associated to advanced treatment to remove micropollutants. The EEB also welcomes the Commission\u2019s proposal to add 24 individual substances and a group of PFAS to the lists of problematic water pollutants that need to be more strictly controlled across the EU. Apart from PFAS, those include a range of pesticides, such as glyphosate, and several pharmaceuticals such as anti-inflammatory drugs. All these substances have well-documented negative effects on the aquatic environment. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the EEB stresses that the new rules do not fully address chemical mixtures and do not hold all polluters accountable. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“The new EU rules do not fully respond to the reality of the chemical cocktails present in surface and groundwater. We urge the European Parliament and Member States to strengthen this in the Commission\u2019s proposal and get on with the job of making our waters clean. We all deserve healthy rivers, lakes, coastal and groundwaters”,<\/span><\/i> said <\/span>Sara Johansson, Senior Policy Officer for Water Pollution Prevention at the EEB<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

T<\/span>he EEB<\/span> believes the European Parliament and Council will need to strengthen the weaknesses of the proposals to guarantee that Europe’s waters are healthy for aquatic life and human health and to make sure that all polluters are made to pay. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe treatment of urban wastewater constitutes the last safeguard in the water cycle to prevent water pollution from reaching our waterways and ultimately, our Ocean. The revised UWWTD has the potential to further advance the objectives of the Zero Pollution Action Plan and achieve a toxic-free environment. We need an ambitious text addressing current and emerging threats to ecosystems and human health through concrete measures and clear obligations on the operation of treatment plants\u201d, <\/span><\/i>said <\/span>Lucille Labayle, Water Quality and Health Policy Officer at Surfrider<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“<\/span>The EU Water Legislation should respond faster to scientific knowledge. The proposed addition of Glyphosate’s EQS to the list of Priority Substances is thus welcome, yet incomplete. To guarantee the efficient protection of our waters, this should be complemented with an EQS for its metabolite AMPA<\/span><\/i>“, said Manon Rouby, Policy Officer\/ Legal Adviser at PAN Europe<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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ENDS\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Notes to editors:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWTD) text includes provisions for selected Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs) to monitor and remove <\/span>micropollutants<\/span><\/b> and the introduction of an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) that requires only the pharmaceutical (excluding veterinary products) and cosmetics industries to contribute financially to cover the cost of necessary upgrades. This has a large potential to reduce the load of harmful substances to receiving waters. <\/span>However<\/span><\/b>,<\/span> the EPR covers a <\/span>narrow set of sectors<\/span><\/b> and should be extended to reflect the full range of micropollutants that end up in urban wastewater, this should include as a minimum biocides, pesticides and textiles industry. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The requirement for Member States to set up locally <\/span>established integrated water management plans<\/span><\/b> with the aim to reduce pollution from urban runoff and combined sewer overflows, is welcomed by the EEB. It is also positive to see the emphasis on preventive measure and blue-green solutions. These include\u00a0the increase of green areas and the reduction of impermeable surface, done in parallel to the collection and treatment of polluted rainwater. <\/span>However<\/span><\/b>,<\/span> the target to reduce combined sewer overflows to 1% (of sewage volumes during dry weather) is only <\/span>indicative<\/span><\/b> and needs to be made legally binding. Without binding targets, the management plans risk being empty shells. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The EEB supports he reduction of <\/span>nutrient releases <\/span><\/b>with more stringent limit values to treat nitrogen and phosphorus. These new standards apply to all larger facilities above 100 000 p.e. but also in all facilities above 10 000 p.e. located in areas where eutrophication remains an issue. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, we welcomed the provisions that would require Member States to improve and <\/span>maintain access to sanitation for all<\/span><\/b>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Updated lists of surface and groundwater pollutants<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Positive<\/span><\/i><\/b> changes<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n