Micropollutants from pharmaceuticals and cosmetics are a growing threat to Europe’s water, and the EU’s recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive says it’s time for polluters to pay. Under the new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, these industries must cover at least 80% of treatment costs – ensuring the burden doesn’t fall on households, SMEs or local water operators.
While critics warn of higher medicine prices, the Directive levels the playing field by applying equally to EU and non-EU producers and gives incentives for greener product design. The message is simple: protecting clean, affordable water is a shared responsibility – and those who create pollution must help pay to remove it.
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