The new Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) published on 11 March 2020 offered a unique opportunity to unleash the water sector’s potential. While the European Commission presented a lot of good intentions and the will to “scale up the circular economy from front-runners to the mainstream economic players”, a number of question marks remain and the potential of the water sector is not sufficiently exploited. In this context, we wish to make the following comments.

Microplastics can enter the water cycle in many ways and are not entirely biodegradable. They can accumulate and could pose a threat to our water resources and ecosystems. Control at source is essential for microplastics to prevent them from entering the environment. We need extended producer responsibility. Additional treatment steps exist which will lead to increased tariffs for consumers.

Water is a precious and scarce resource, so reusing treated waste water in certain circumstances makes perfect environmental sense. We want minimum quality standards to ensure consumer and environmental health.

Opening up the potential for treated sludge to be used in fertilisers will benefit the environment.

Recycling makes sense for us all, and should be encouraged so that we can all have access to water today and tomorrow.

Water is a precious and scarce resource, so reusing treated waste water in certain circumstances makes perfect environmental sense. We want minimum quality standards to ensure consumer and environmental health.

Marine litter can accumulate and could pose a threat to our water resources and ecosystems. Control at source is essential to prevent them from entering the environment. Additional treatment steps exist which will lead to increased tariffs for consumers.