EurEau response to the EU’s Zero Pollution Action Plan
The Commission pledged to address the pollution of water resources in the context of the European Green Deal with its Zero Pollution Action Plan (ZPAP), announced last year.
Now it is clear how the Commission proposes to do this.
EurEau largely supports the Action Plan, and is pleased to see that it pulls in many other recent initiates under the Green Deal and beyond as organization outlined in its recommendations to the Commission. This coherence and coordination should ensure that health and environment are consistently protected.
“We welcome the Zero Pollution Hierarchy, which refers to the EU Treaties and clearly states that EU environmental policies should be based on the Precautionary, Control-at-Source and Polluter Pays Principles. Removing pollution after it happens is too late and too costly. If the EU truly wishes to eradicate pollution, it has to prevent it in the first place, as much as possible”, comments EurEau. According to organisation, the upcoming review of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and Sewage Sludge Directive provide EU law makers with an excellent opportunity to reduce dependence on end-of-pipe treatments.
Industry and agriculture have an important role to play in controlling pollution and rectifying environmental damage as much as possible at the source. EurEau, European Federation of National Associations of Water Services, is ready and willing to work with all the EU institutions and other stakeholders to ensure that the Zero Pollution Action Plan translates into real efforts.
