Environmental Minister Carsten Schneider, a member of the SPD party, advocates that the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries must bear the cost of filtering residues from their products out of wastewater treatment facilities. Schneider told the media outlets of Funke-Mediengruppe, stating, “The goal of reducing micropollutants in the water by introducing a fourth treatment stage in wastewater facilities is a major gain for water protection and public health”. On the question of whether consumers or the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry should pay the increased costs, he stated clearly, “The industry must pay for this”.
With this statement, Schneider is taking a stance in a debate regarding the implementation of the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD). This directive, set to take effect in 2025, mandates that wastewater treatment plants serving more than 150,000 people must install a new, fourth stage of treatment. This stage aims to remove so-called micropollutants from the water, which enter the water system via sources like medicines and cosmetics.
According to the “polluter pays principle” the industry should cover 80 percent of these costs; however, there is currently opposition to this proposal within the European Parliament, including from the EPP party. The Federal Ministry for the Environment is currently working on integrating the 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, in many cases, they also have the means to develop more biodegradable products”. He added that he believes it is incorrect to burden consumers with higher water costs, emphasizing that water is a basic necessity and should not be unnecessarily expensive.
Schneider concluded by stating, “Whoever introduces substances into the market that pollute our waters and, consequently, our drinking water, must also take responsibility for their removal”. He expressed a desire to implement this as smoothly and in coordination as possible among the member states.