EU matters

Water policy and European affairs

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European Commission proposes EU budget 2021-2027

2 May 2018

The European Commission adopted its proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027. The budget allocated to the Common Agricultural and Fisheries Policy will be reduced at around 30% of the total expenditure (from the current 39%). 

European Commission's sectoral legislative proposals for spending programmes are expected to be adopted on 29 May, 6 and 12 June.    

More information available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/priorities/democratic-change/future-europe/eu-budget-future_en     

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DWD - ENVI MEPs + Calendar

30 April 2018

The ENVI Committee appointed MEP Michel Dantin (EPP/FR) as Rapporteur for the DWD. The Shadow Rapporteurs are:

Rory Palmer (S&D/UK)

Jørn Dohrmann (ECR/DK)

Ulrike Müller (ALDE/DE)

Benedek Jávor (Verts/ALE/ HU)

Lynn Boylan (GUE/NGL/IE)

Piernicola Pedicini (EFDD/IT)

Sylvie Goddyn (ENF/FR)

The DWD calendar is as follows:

4 May: The Rapporteur will submit his report amending the Commission proposal. 

7 June: Consideration of draft Report in ENVI

13 June: DEADLINE for AMENDMENTS

10 September (tcb): vote in the ENVI Committee 

October I Plenary: vote in Plenary

The Committee on legal affairs (JURI) will submit an opinion. 

Carla

Water matters. EU matters. 

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Drinking Water Directive Proposal out

20 February 2018

The European Commission adopted a legislative proposal for a new Drinking Water Directive (DWD) and its Annexes on February 1, following the evaluation and the review process started in 2014.

The proposal (available in the 24 official languages), intends to respond to the European Citizens Initiative ‘Right2Water’ by widening the scope of the current legislation, especially by including the new provisions on access to water intended for human consumption (art.13) and on information to the public (art.14 and Annex IV). 

The European Commission proposed also to introduce new and/or stricter quality parameters (Annex I) drinking water has to comply with, departing from the WHO scientific recommendations. The Risk-Based Approach to water safety (currently optional) will become compulsory (art.7), together with the hazard assessment of water bodies used for abstraction of drinking water (art.8) and the supply risk assessment (art.9). 

The Commission addressed also the issue of materials and products in contact with drinking water by deleting the current art.10 and replacing it with a provision on Domestic Ditribution Risk assessment that leaves a series of questions open. 

The proposal was accompanied by the impact assessment ( a short summary is available), the WHO Recommendations and the synopsis of the public consultation. 

It is also interesting to have a look at the reserves expressed by the Regulatory Scrutiny Board in its opinion, pointing at critical elements of the proposal.   

The Council Working Party on the Environment, chaired by the Bulgarian Presidency, has already started considering the proposal, while the European Parliament ENVI Committee is in the process of appointing the MEPs who will work on the file (Rapporteur and shadow-Rapporteurs). 

If you wish to be updated on the developments, follow the ‘EU matters’ blog! 

Carla

Water matters, EU matters.  

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The EU Plastic Strategy published

16 January 2018

The European Commission adopted earlier today a new Circular Economy package, including ‘A European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy’ and the related Staff Working Document (SWD); the Communication on the implementation of the circular economy package: options to address the interface between chemical, product and waste legislation and the relative SWD; a report on the impact of the use of oxo-degradable plastic, including oxo-degradable plastic carrier bags, on the environment.   

In the SWD on the Plastic Strategy the European Commission considers micro-plastics both under the evaluation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) and under the revision of the DWD. 

The Commission clarifies that “the development of a test standard for the quantification (both in mass and number) of the micro-plastics in the influent, effluent and sludge output of wastewater treatment plants seems a necessary basis for more subsequent measures such as the development of a new EPR scheme. It could be designed in a way that the sources predominantly responsible for microplastics in waste water treatment cover the costs of remedial action to increase micro-plastics capture. The feasibility and cost-benefit assessment is however needed. Further measures could follow in the context of a future review of the Urban Waste Water Treatment (UWWT) Directive.” 

We can also expect micro-plastics to be mentioned in the hazard assessment of the new Drinking Water Directive, whose adoption is scheduled for the 31 January 2018. The Commission indicates that “although micro-plastics are not a parameter listed in the Drinking Water Directive 98/83/EC, Member States have to take all actions to ensure that drinking water does not pose a risk to human health. It is therefore for the Member State to decide on appropriate actions to be taken, in light of the precautionary principle if relevant. As the pathways into drinking water and possible health effects through drinking water are not well known, further information on their existence in source water should be gathered i.e. by hazard assessments of abstraction zones.”         

To discuss the measures included in the 2018 Circular Economy Package, the Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee will host the 2018 edition of the Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference on 20-21 February in Brussels. 

We can expect Council Conclusions on the plastic strategy to be adopted by the Environment Council as well as an own-initiative (INI) report by the European Parliament.

Carla

Water matters. EU matters. 

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Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

30 November 2017 

Yesterday the Committee of the Regions hosted the meeting of the working group “agriculture and water management” of the Intergroup on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development on Pharmaceuticals in the Environment. The meeting was co-chaired by MEP Michel Dantin and MEP Peter Liese and provided an extremely timely opportunity to kick start the discussions on the protection of water resources from the impact of medications. 

The European Commission launched the long awaited public consultation on Pharmaceuticals in the Environment last week. The consultation is articulated into two questionnaires, one for the general public and one for stakeholders:

1. The dedaline for the public consultation targeting citizens is 21 February 2018.

2.The targeted stakeholder consultation is available via:https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/PharmaInEnvTargetedConsultation2017 and the deadline is 21 January 2018.  

Together with the questionnaires the Commission published:

a. a background document summary - public consultation on pharmaceuticals in the environment

b. a background document for public consultation on pharmaceuticals in the environment    

c. a study report - public consultation on pharmaceuticals in the environment 

In the meeting Ms Bettina Doeser from the Water Unit of DG Environment made clear their intention to apply a life-cycle approach to pharmaceuticals in the future Strategy. The Strategy will be a Commission Communication and is expected to be out by late Spring 2018. 

From the Committee of the Regions Dr Winter gave the perspective of local authorities on the issue, clearing advocating for source control rather than unsustainable end-of-pipe approaches. 

For EurEau Mr Jan-Peter van der Hoek presented the views from the water services, while Mr Bengt Mattson represented the Pharmaceutical sector (EFPIA) and Dr  Adela Maghear spoke on behalf of the NGO Health Care Without harm. 

The presentations were followed by a lively debate with the over 100 participants in the audience. 

EurEau will respond to the public consultation and give input according to the positions developed over the past three years on pharmaceuticals for human use, on veterinary pharmaceuticals and micropollutants. 

We are looking forward to this societal debate and we are really glad to hear that “this train is running and will not be stopped anymore!”.      

Carla

Water matters. EU matters. 

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Mayors and Water Conference - Porto Water Innovation Week

2 October 2017 

The Porto Water Innovation Week featured, in its final day - last Friday 29 September, the Mayors and Water Conference.

Representatives of cities from various European countries signed the Porto declaration and discussed the role and challenges for cities in the integrated water management. 

EUROCITIES and ICLEI are still developing a strategy for the Urban Water Agenda 2030. Cities and other stakeholders can still contribute to the strategy by taking part to the public consultation here. Hurry up, the consultation is open until the 9 October!

Carla 

Water matters. EU matters.

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UNECE Water and Health Protocol

19 September 2017 

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the meeting of the Expert Group on Equitable Access under the Water and Health Protocol of the UNECE/WHO. 

The Protocol recognises the human right to water and sanitation and the countries that ratify it commit themselves to set targets towards the realisation of the human right to water and sanitation, as well as dates by when these targets have to be reached.

The Expert Group on Equitable access to water and sanitation worked in the past of the equitable access scorecard and in Budapest members of the group shared their experiences in carrying out the equitable access self- assessment. The UNECE Secretariat supports the countries of the Pan-European Region in developing the Action Plans to ensure the equitable access to water and sanitation. 

On behalf of EurEau I presented the various affordability mechanisms already in place in many European countries with the direct or indirect involvement of the water utilities that contribute to realise the human right to water and sanitation.  

It would be maybe worth exploring the possibility for the European Union to become a party to the Protocol on Water and Health. It would be a good instrument to implement the SDG6 in the EU!

Carla

Water matters. EU matters.   

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Urban Water Agenda 2030

Brussels 28 June 2017

Today I was in a meeting on the Urban Water Agenda 2030, organised by EUROCITIES and ICLEI.

I am very happy they took over this initiative on the UWA2030: it is a fresh start and the work they have been doing so far is truely remarkable! 

You can find the draft strategy at this link http://bit.ly/2suNFKV  and the public consultation (deadline 5 July) on the strategy here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B2CNDTJ  

From the European Commission Ms Karen DALGAARD SANNING (DG ENV. Unit C1) presented the initiative: started in 2016 in Leewarden, the European Commission put a renewed focus on it at the end of last year.  

DG ENV is looking at the River Basin Management Plans across all countries to assess the implementation of the WFD. The outcome of this evaluation will be available by the end of this year. Although cities are not very involved in the implementation of the WFD at the moment, we know that this should change since 2/3 of Europeans will live in cities by 2030.

The UWA2030 is a strategy that will be up to the cities to own and promote. Cities will have to understand how they want to be involved and how the Commission can support them.

Claire Baffert from EUROCITIES presented the Strategy: EUROCITES and ICLEI aim at creating a platform where cities can share knowledge and exchange practices. They departed from the consideration that the poor status of water bodies in Europe is a concern, that there is gap of implementation of the WFD and that measures for climate change adaptation are needed. Water scarcity but also floods are more and more a reality and cities face both technical and legal challenges.

The overarching objective of the UWA2030 is a better implementation of the water policy, achieving the objectives of the WFD.

Different levels of action and involvement are envisaged, depending on how far a city wishes to be included in the UWA2030:

-          Empowering cities

-          becoming aware

-          keeping up to speed with legislative developments

-          accelerating uptake of innovation: share practices and learn

-          Taking advantage of privileged financing opportunities

-          Become a role model in water management 

In March EUROCITIES published a call for interest and a core group 25 cities from 18 EU was established.

The draft strategy is a first outcome of their first meetings, proving entry points for cities: five strategy directions were identified and every strategy direction corresponds to one commitment that cities can undertake when joining the UWA2030 process.

1.       Action at local level: develop an action plan for integrated urban water management. Develop a methodology for action planning.

2.       Action between cities: participate to peer to peer exchanges. Empower cities in providing information on funding.

3.       Action at River Basin level leading to engagement with other takeholders

4.       At EU level the aim is to contribute to EU water policy: the UWA will allow cities to dialogue with EU institutions.

5.       At global level: the focus is on the cooperation to implement the SDG6

Before opening the floor to discuss the strategy, cities representatives from Paris, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Leewarden, Oslo and Genk took the floor and presented their views on water management, their existing objectives, their challenges and ambitions. They also shared their views on the Strategy of the UWA2030.   

The discussion with stakeholders touched upon the need to consider existing initiatives (water atlas –KWR, Water Stewardship - EWP) and how water management can be integrated in urban planning (Aqua publica europea). 

When looking at the draft strategy, the SDGs are only mentioned in the Strategic direction ‘world level’, while it would be good to have in mind that the SDGs (including the SDG6) will have to be implemented by the EU and by the Member States as well: this is a feature that distinguish them from the MDGs.

When it comes to water management, technical solutions and innovation are available. What we expect from cities is political leadership and the prioritisation of water in their city planning priorities, in order to bring about change and to make the right decisions.  

For the UN the human right to water and sanitation is defined by the following dimensions: availability, accessibility, acceptability, affordability and safety. In order to realise the SDG6 in Europe cities could focus on three specific topics in the strategy since they are typical topics where decisions are taken at local level:

-          The need of investments in water infrastructure

-          The issue of affordability for households

-          The resilience of water infrastructure not only to climate change but to natural disasters and security threats.    

The Commission concluded that depending on support of cities, they could envisage developing links to policy areas and a short political declaration by cities could be endorsed in Porto.

Carla

Water matters. EU matters.   

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Water and Agriculture intergroup meeting

23 March 2017

The working group ‘agriculture and water management’ of the European Parliament intergroup on ‘Biodiversity, Climate Change and Sustainable Development’ met on March 21 to debate the Sustainable Management of Water in Agriculture – Addressing pressure from agriculture to achieve the goals of the WFD. On the eve of the World Water Day, MEP Michel Dantin (EPP/FR), chairing the meeting, recalled the essential interdependence between water and agriculture, taking into account challenges such as climate change, pollution due to pesticides and nitrates, while stressing the need for more research.

Mr Pierre Bascou, Director for Sustainability and income support in DG AGRI, reminded that 44 % of total water abstraction in Europe is used for agriculture and water resources are compromised in terms of quantity (especially in Southern Europe) and quality (mostly in Northen Europe). Overabstraction affects 10% of surface water and 20% of groundwater bodies, although, globally speaking, it is declining. The current policy framework will be evaluated and DG AGRI will have to rethink the three main tools in a post-2020 perspective: the cross-compliance mechanism, the direct payments in ecological focus areas and the rural development measures of the second pillar. In the short term the European Commission will evaluate the various policies and will try to enhance cross-sectoral cooperation to improve governance. Bottlenecks to the implementation of the River Basin Management Plans should be removed and access to funding should be improved. In the long term the modernisation of the CAP is envisaged. 

From DG Environment, Ms Claire McCamphill highlighted the work of the internal task force on water and agriculture set up by DG ENV and DG AGRI. The task force has been assessing the existing legislative framework, looking specifically at measures that are not delivering the expected results: the Nitrates Directive is one of the tools that is under consideration. In the upcoming weeks the Commission will publish a staff working document and on the 8 May a Water-Agri Directors meeting will take place to bring the discussions forward ahead of the informal Agri Council.  

Dr Claudia Castell-Exner, Vice-President of EurEau, gave the view of the water services on the sustainable management of water in agriculture, stressing the need for a holistic approach when considering the legislative framework, looking at the provisons of the CAP, pesticides regulation, nitrates directive in the light of the Water Framework Directive objectives and the Drinking Water Directive obligations with the ultimate aim to protect water resources. She also spoke about the cooperation between water utilities and farmers that, although welcomed, are voluntary and often disappointing in the protection of water resources.     

Ms Martina Mlinaric from WWF invited the audience to consider not only the water framework directive but also the biodiversity legislation and pointed out that the restoration agenda is blocked by CAP. She called for phasing out direct payments and the implementation of the cost recovery principle. 

The farmers (COPA-COGECA) were represented by Mr Valentin Opfermann who acknowleged that, since the impacts of climate change are unknown, farmers need to adapt and consider additional resources such as reclaimed water to irrigate crops. He also pointed at the technical challenges to reuse treated waste water and spoke about the acceptability by consumers. He spoke against the one-ou-all-out principle, maintaining that it lacks a reality check.

A very lively debate followed and the audience shared ideas, raised issues and proposed solutions in order to make agriculture more sustainable when it comes to the use and the protection of water resources. If you wish to have more information on the meeting you can find it here. 

The publication of the Commission staff working document in the upcoming weeks is definetly a very good news and a first important step in the right direction!

Carla

Water matters. EU matters.              

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Water Governance in light of the review of the WFD

3 February 2017

On 1 February the working group ‘Agriculture and Water management’ of the Intergroup on ‘climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development’ met to discuss the ‘water governance in light of the review of the Water Framework directive’. The meeting was chaired by MEP Michel Dantin and saw the intervention of speakers bringing different perspectives and the large attendance of MEPs, assistants and stakeholders.

The head of the ‘Clean Water’ unit of the DG Environment of the European Commission, Ms Bettina Doeser, highlighted the success and the weknesses of the WFD over the past 15 years. She also stressed the future challenges that the review, scheduled for 2019, will have to address: land use intensification, climate change, and pressures from various sectors. Mainstreaming water policy in other policies is crucial and for this reason the environment and the agriculture Commissioners are taking important steps to finally end the inconsistencies between agricultural policy and water policy. The implementation of the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals will also contribute in improving water governance. 

Aziza Akhmouch, Head of the OECD Water Governance Programme, presented the ongoing work of the OECD Water Governance Initiative and the 12 Principles on Water governance. She remarked that the phylosophy underpinning the WFD inspired other OECD countries’ water legislation. She outlined current policy trends that may have an impact on water governance: territorial reforms, fiscal consolidation and digital reforms. Ms Akhmouch traced the next steps to measure the progress of countries in attaining good water governance such as the development of indicators and the sharing of good practices. 

The President of EurEau, Bruno Tisserand, drew the difference between water governance and water services governance, with a specific focus on the roles and responsibilities of water services and how the latter interact with municipalities, regulators, citizens and other stakeholders that play different roles in the governance of water resources.

Mr André Flajolet, Président of the Artois Picardie Basin Committee, warned against losing the basin perspective when dealing with local circumstances as this would entail a fragmentation of approaches, while a more global vision, at the scale of basins, is needed in water governance.             

From IUCN, Mr Alejandro Iza, presented the work of IUCN on the international level and how they contribute promoting integrated water management in Asia, Africa and South America.  

A report from the meeting will be available shortly here. 

Carla

Water matters. EU matters.

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Mercury Regulation - first reading agreement reached

16 December 2016

Last week the European Parliament and the Council concluded a first reading agreement on the Mercury Regulation. 

Pending the final text to be confirmed by the vote of the ENVI Committee and of COREPER 1, below are some elements from the trilogues negotiations on the Mercury Regulation. 

The final compromise can be considered a bit disappointing as it does not reflect the ambition clearly expressed by the European Parliament in its vote in the ENVI Committee last October, particularly concerning the ban on dental amalgam (art.10) by 2022.

Had the Parliament position been retained, the shift to a real circular economy for water services would have been more straightforward, since a ban on dental amalgam would have made the recycling of good quality sewage sludge less costly.

The agreement on the deadlines for amalgam separators and the encapsulated amalgam will contribute to address the problem posed by dental amalgam only in a very limited way.   

On the positive side the co-legislators recognised the necessity of a study to be conducted by the Commission in 2020 on the feasibility of a ban, to be imposed preferably by 2030.  

The compromise reached on the establishment of national plans for the phase-out of dental amalgams in 2019 is very appreciated as well as the ban for the population at risk in 2018.

Congratulations to the Slovak Presidency and the MEPs working on the Mercury Regulation who put a lot of efforts in reaching this compromise after long negotiations!

Carla

Water matters.EU matters.

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Implementing the SDGs in the EU

30 November 2016

The European Commission adopted the suistainable development package on Tuesday 22 November 2016.

The three Communications and the related Staff Working Documents (SWD) are the result of the work of the project team made up of 20 Commissioners and headed by the Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans. 

Building on the progress of the Millennium Developments Goals, the SDGs of the 2030 Agenda depart from the MDGs’ logic and present two new features : their universality and interconnections. In fact the 17 SDGs are interlinked and they apply to all countries, not only to the ‘developing’ countries.

This means that the European Commission looked not only to the external action through their Communications on ‘a new European Consensus on development’ and on ‘a renewed partnership with the countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific’ , but also to the implementation of the SDGs in the EU. 

This is reflected in the Communication ‘Next steps for a sustainable European future - European action for sustainability’ and better detailed in the related SWD ‘ Key European action supporting the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals’  that focuses on domestic/EU oriented actions.

On Monday 28 November two European Parliament Committees (ENVI and DEVE) invited the UN Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General on the SDGs, Mr David Nabarro, to discuss the European Parliament involvement in the Agenda 2030 process and to stress the importance of the involvement of civil society and business community because “the Agenda 2030 is ‘the plan’ for the future since we do not have a ‘spare’ planet”.     

On Tuesday 29 November the ENVI Committee invited the Director General of DG ENV, Daniel Calleja Crespo, for an exchange of views on the SDGs implementation in the EU. The Communication ‘Next steps for a sustainable European future - European action for sustainability’ represents only a map of the current EU policies that recognise the importance of sustainable development which ultimately is a European brand. The point of departure for the EU is good, as the Eurostat statistics and indicators show.  

Mr Calleja also outlined the concrete steps forward: the integration of the SDGs in the EU2020 Stategy while launching the work for the post EU2020 agenda and the next Multiannual Financial Framework. The 7th Environmental Action Program and the European Semester are also two important tools to deliver the SDGs. 

A multistakeholder platform will also be created and a High-Level Policy Summit will be held on the 20 December to involve the civil society and the business community.       

Carla

Water matters. EU matters.

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SDG6 and COP22 – Realising the human right to water and sanitation in a changing climate

17 November 2016

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) officially acknowledged the human right to water and sanitation in resolution 64/292 adopted on 28 July 2010.

The UNGA recognised the human right to water and sanitation as a right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights (such as the human right to health).

In the 2030 Agenda, building on the achievements of the MDGs, SDG6 focuses on “Ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”. SDG6 will have to be implemented universally by all countries and it is interlinked with the other 16 SDGs so that the achievement of one goal contributes to the attainment of the others. This will certainly contribute to realise the human right to water and sanitation worldwide.    

Indeed the legal content of the human right to water and sanitation embraces complementary aspects: to realise this right, water and sanitation must be available, accessible, affordable, acceptable, and safe [1].

In the context of the COP22 the availability dimension of the human right to water is particularly relevant and should be stressed. Water crisis are considered to be among the top three most impactful risks at a global level: we witness worldwide the increasing frequency and intensity of droughts, floods and storms due to climate change.

In order to ensure water services’ resilience to climate change, EurEau held a reflection in the framework of the COP22 and came up with recommendations for the water sector and for policy makers.    

Climate change mitigation and adaptation considerations should be mainstreamed into water policy taking the opportunity of the momentum created by the review of EU water legislation in the upcoming years.

Water resources protection, the implementation of the polluter-pays principle and water availability should be a priority if we want to realise the human right to water in Europe. In case of conflicts for water allocation between different uses, drinking water production should have priority over other uses.    

This will allow water services to continue to carry out the important tasks of providing high quality drinking water to European citizens, protecting public health and the environment while fostering a sustainable economy.  

Carla

Water matters. EU matters.

[1] Realising the human rights to water and sanitation: a handbook, Introduction, p.33-36 (2014)

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CWP2017 - The European Commission Work Programme 2017 adopted

25 October 2016 

The College of Commissioners, meeting today in Strasbourg, adopted the Commission Work Programme for 2017 (CWP2017).

The CWP details what are the legislative and non-legislative initiatives that the European Commission will propose next year.

The Commission confirms its plans to table a legislative proposal on minimum quality requirements for reused water for the second quarter of 2017. The JRC is working on a study that Member States and stakeholders were able to review in the framework of the CIS WFD activities of the water reuse ad hoc task group.   

After the conclusion of the evaluation exercise, started in 2014 with the public consultation, the Commission granted political priority to the revision of the Drinking Water Directive, scheduled to take place in the last quarter of 2017.

An impact assessment study on policy options concerning the DWD is still ongoing and the European Commission is looking at four main areas that could need action: the parameters of Annex I, the Risk-Based Approach, the information to consumers and the materials and products in contact with drinking water.

The impact assessment should be finalised by the end of this year as well as the parallel study on the materials and products in contact with Drinking Water. 

Do you want to know more about the next steps?

Stay tuned!

Carla

Water matters. EU matters. 

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Environment Council Conclusions on water

18 October 2016

The Council of the EU adopted its Conclusions on ‘sustainable water management’ yesterday.  

Water is one of the priorities of the Slovak Presidency and the Ministers of environment, gathered in Luxembourg, wanted to reiterate their support to the EU water policy. 

In light of the process that will pave the way to the review of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in 2019, Ministers gave a clear signal to the European Commission that the protection of water resources should certainly continue beyond 2027. 

Ministers emphasised that ‘EU water policy objectives, including the sustainable use and management of water, should be better integrated into other relevant policies such as food, agriculture, fisheries, energy, transport, industry, spatial planning, urban development and tourism at all levels, as well as into relevant EU financial mechanisms’. 

The Council noted also with interest ‘the intention of the Commission to present in 2017 a proposal on minimum quality requirements for reused water’.

If you wish to watch the debate that preceded the adoption of the Conclusions, you can click here.

Carla

Water matters. EU matters. 

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Nature Is Speaking – Penélope Cruz is Water | Conservation International...

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Mercury Regulation in ENVI Committee tomorrow

11 July 2016

Mercury originating from the natural daily erosion of amalgam fillings in teeth is now the biggest source of mercury entering urban waste water.

Overall, this accounts to about 50% of the total mercury in the urban waste water of Stockholm and consequently also 50% of the total mercury content in the city’s sludge and discharge of waste water. Mercury from the daily erosion of amalgam in teeth is by far the single biggest source of mercury in the urban wastewater in Sweden. The same trend can be expected in many other Member States.

The European Commission’s current proposal on the Mercury Regulation is the perfect opportunity to impose a ban on the use of dental amalgam since better alternatives exist. Mercury separators at dental care clinics just take care of a smaller part of the mercury leakage into the environment.

Banning the use of dental amalgam will in a few decades significantly reduce the amount of mercury entering our waste water treatment plants and will result in many tonnes less mercury in the European waters, less mercury in biota in water organisms and higher quality sludge as a an important source of nutrients in a true circular economy.

We want a date to be set for implementing the ban on using dental amalgam, since very good alternatives to dental amalgam exist and the ban has already been imposed in several Member States.

It will also save water plant operators and therefore consumers €120 million annually if the ban is imposed.

EurEau believes it is time to take long term action on the continuous flow of mercury from dental amalgam to waste water treatment plants and further into the circular flow of water and nutrients by introducing an end-date on the use of dental amalgam now.

The European Parliament and the Council of the EU have the opportunity to improve the European Commission proposal. On Tuesday we hope to see ambitious ENVI Committee MEPs’ positions during the debate that will consider the Rapporteur’s report on the Mercury Regulation.

With 85% of respondents in the public consultation favouring a ban we can definitely assert that the public is behind this. Act!

Carla

Water Matters. EU matters.