EurEau deeply regrets the result of today’s vote on the motion for a resolution on the implementation of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) and risks to the security of supply of medicines.
With today’s vote, it is clear that a small majority of the EU Parliament does not stand by municipalities and tax payers, including citizens or local businesses, but by the side of polluters. This contradicts the Polluter Pays Principle, one of the fundamental pillars of EU environmental policy, and sets a dangerous precedent for other pollutants in wastewater.
The vote introduces massive regulatory uncertainty at a moment when operators, technology providers and investors are mobilising resources to prepare the transition. In addition, despite the suspension of quaternary treatment in the recast UWWTD, such treatment may still be required to comply with environmental quality standards, which include substances used in pharmaceutical and cosmetics products.
While we welcome the idea of a new assessment to identify the substances present in urban wastewater, we do not believe the deadline set for it is achievable. More time is required to have an in-depth, representative and broad study, that provides scientifically sound data on which other sectors could be part of the EPR schemes.
The call to suspend EPR and quaternary treatment and a new rushed assessment is a lost opportunity for a proper implementation of both EPR and removal of micropollutants provisions. The recast UWWTD has the necessary provisions to achieve the implementation while ensuring that any potential risk to the supply of medicines is assessed and addressed.
We call on the European Commission and Member States to fully implement the recast UWWTD as it was adopted by the co-legislators.