On 10 April 2024, the European Parliament formally adopted the final agreement on the recast of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD).
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With 481 votes in favour, 79 against, and 26 abstentions, Parliament adopted the deal reached with the Council in January 2024 on revising the EU’s water management and urban wastewater treatment standards to better protect public health and the environment.
By 2035, urban wastewater will undergo secondary treatment (i.e., the removal of biodegradable organic matter) before it is discharged into the environment, in all agglomerations of the size of 1,000 population equivalent (p.e., standard measuring unit describing the average pollution released by one person per day) or more. By 2039, tertiary treatment (i.e. the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus) will be applied in all wastewater treatment plants covering 150,000 p.e. and above, and by 2045 in those covering 10.000 p.e. and above. An additional treatment removing a broad spectrum of micro-pollutants (‘quaternary treatment’) will be mandatory for all plants over 150,000 p.e. (and over 10,000 p.e. based on a risk assessment) by 2045.
The monitoring of various public health parameters (such as known viruses and emerging pathogens), chemical pollutants, including so-called “forever chemicals” (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS), microplastics and antimicrobial resistance will be strictly monitored.
The law introduces extended producer responsibility (EPR) for medicinal products for human use and cosmetic products, to cover the costs of quaternary treatment (to remove micro-pollutants from urban wastewater). At least 80% of the costs will be covered by producers, complemented by national financing.
EU countries will be required to promote the reuse of treated wastewater from all urban wastewater treatment plants where appropriate, especially in water-stressed areas.
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Rapporteur Nils Torvalds (Renew, FI) said: “The legislation will significantly improve water management and wastewater treatment standards in Europe, especially with new rules on removing micro-pollutants coming from medicines and personal care products. We are making sure that the impact of the rules on the affordability of medicines will not be disproportionate and that harmful chemicals such as PFAS will be monitored and better dealt with in the future.”
Next steps
Council needs to formally approve the agreement as well before it can enter into force.
Cosmetics Europe position
Cosmetics Europe supports the overall objective of the directive to effectively tackle water pollution.
Cosmetics Europe also supports the adopted Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme that requires industries to financially contribute to upgrade wastewater facilities to quaternary treatment.
However, Cosmetics Europe remains very concerned about the skewed and partial application of the EPR scheme and question how efficient it will be in providing an incentive to all economic sectors to improve their environmental footprint and ultimately guarantee clean water in Europe. (see also Cosmetics Europe position on the provisional agreement regarding the revision of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive)
