EU makes pharmaceutical industry pay for micropollution in wastewater

Member States on Tuesday supported a compromise previously reached with the European Parliament on the revision of the 1991 Urban Wastewater Directive. That law obliges Member States to collect and treat wastewater, which has led to a significant improving water quality.

The revision extends the scope to all agglomerations with more than 1,000 inhabitants (currently 2,000 inhabitants). The smaller agglomerations have until 2035 to provide collection systems. Then, in addition to the primary treatment, they will also have to remove biodegradable organic material from the wastewater. Deviations are possible.

From 2039, nitrogen and phosphorus will also have to be removed from the wastewater in larger plants, and so-called micropollutants will also have to be removed by 2045. Because drug and cosmetic manufacturers are the main sources of this micropollution, they will have to bear at least 80 percent of the additional costs for this treatment, in line with the “polluter pays” principle.

“Arbitrary decision”

The pharmaceutical sector is not happy with “the arbitrary decision” to single out two sectors. Umbrella organization EFPIA says it supports the objective of the directive, but questions “the legitimacy of a decision that leaves only two sectors with the financial responsibility for cleaning up all social micro-pollution,” director Nathalie Moll said in a press release.

EFPIA hopes that other sectors will also be taken into consideration when transposing the revised European directive into national law. Member States will have up to 31 months to do this.