Finland was warned of the drug crisis – now a rumble of “unjustified threats”

Pharmaceutical by The Urban Waste Water Directive, which came into force in the EU at the beginning of 2025, endangers the availability of medicines in Finland. The Directive requires that the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries pay at least 80 % of the total cost arising from the removal of drug residues from wastewater.

“The pharmaceutical industry must take responsibility for the environment. It is not appropriate for consumers to intimidate with unjustified threats, ”says Waterworks managing director Riku vahala.

According to the pharmaceutical industry, the Directive could mean that, in particular, the range of low -cost parallel drugs would be lost, as their sales would be unprofitable, according to the industry’s interest organization. Vahala does not believe in the canopy. According to him, the Directive also includes that the EU Commission will look at the availability of medicines in the future.

The pharmaceutical industry has commissioned On VTT The study states that the construction costs of the construction of wastewater treatment plants would be EUR 280-816 million.

The amount would be divided into a long term.

“If the total cost of the efficiency of treatment plants, ie design, construction, use and indirect costs, would be one billion euros, the drug and cosmetics industry would be at least EUR 800 million. When it divides it over a 20-year period, it would mean an annual cost of EUR 40 million to the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry, ”Vahala says.

According to his rough equation, for example Orionin The share of the efficiency of the treatment plants would be EUR 15 million annually. This corresponds to 3.6 % of Orion’s current operating profit.

“It is difficult to consider this to be unreasonable, given that most of the water residue from the water comes from the use of people and the drugs made by the pharmaceutical industry. The pharmaceutical industry is about small money, ”says Vahala.

The pharmaceutical industry has suggested that the state would take 20 % of the costs.

“The state does not pay the costs of the water supply plant, but the costs of the institutions are charged to customers. I do not consider it realistic that the state costs a 20 % share, ”Vahala sees.

According to him, waterworks invested EUR 400 million per year and the need for investment would be EUR 800 million due to the deterioration of the network. Against this background, he does not consider the potential increases in the Directive to pay for the fees of an individual consumer.