Environmental Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) insists that the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries must bear the cost of filtering out product residues from wastewater treatment plants. Speaking to the Funke media group’s newspapers, Schneider noted that the incorporation of a fourth purification stage in sewage plants, intended to reduce micropollutants in water, represents a major benefit for water protection and public health. Regarding who should cover the additional costs-consumers or the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry-he stated unequivocally that the industry must pay.
Schneider’s position relates to the ongoing debate surrounding the implementation of the EU Urban Wastewater Directive (UWWTD). This directive, which goes into effect in 2025, mandates that sewage treatment plants serving more than 150,000 people must introduce a new, fourth level of treatment. This measure aims to remove micropollutants from the water, which enter the water system through sources such as medications and cosmetic products.
According to the principle of polluter pays, the industry is expected to finance 80 percent of these costs, but resistance is currently surfacing in the European Parliament, including from the EPP group.
The Federal Ministry for the Environment is currently working on integrating this directive into German law. Schneider remains committed to keeping the financial responsibility with the industry. The SPD politician told the Funke newspapers, “Because they are responsible for the micropollutants and they also have the means to develop more biodegradable products in many cases”. He argued that burdening consumers with higher water costs would be incorrect, asserting that water is a fundamental necessity that should not be unduly made more expensive. Furthermore, Schneider concluded that any entity placing substances onto the market that pollute our waters, and subsequently our drinking water, must also assume responsibility for their removal. He aims for this implementation to be as streamlined and coordinated as possible among member states.
