Pharma Industry Scores a Win in EU Wastewater Treatment Cost Dispute

The pharmaceutical sector has received a significant win as a European Union Advocate General has suggested that a key directive mandating drug and cosmetics manufacturers to cover a substantial portion of wastewater treatment costs be annulled.

This directive, which came into effect earlier last year as a revision of a previous version, aimed to safeguard human health and the environment by tackling harmful urban wastewater discharges. The initiative promised to facilitate cleaner rivers, lakes, groundwater, and coastal areas across Europe, with potential savings estimated at around $7.5 billion annually by 2040.

Central to this directive is the introduction of a "quaternary treatment stage" intended to eliminate micropollutants—substances primarily stemming from pharmaceuticals and cosmetics—from wastewater. Member states are required to ensure that companies contribute to waste management programs by December 2028.

Source: www.statnews.com