The European Commission on 26 October 2022 proposed stricter rules for air pollutants, surface and groundwater, and urban wastewater treatment, the Environment Department said, in a statement transmitted by the Press and Information Office.
It notes that the Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginius Sinkiewicz, said that the quality of the air we breathe and the water we use is fundamental to our lives and the future of our societies.
"Pollutants in our air and water harm our health, our economy and the environment, especially affecting the vulnerable. Therefore, it is our duty to clean up our air and water for our own and future generations. The cost of inaction is much higher than the cost of prevention. That is why the Commission is acting now to ensure coordinated action across the Union to better tackle pollution at its source - at local and cross-border level," he added.
It also reports that the EU has adopted a package of measures consisting of three legislative proposals that form part of the revision of the Zero Pollution Action Plan and represent significant progress towards the ambition of the European Green Deal for Zero Pollution, which aims for an environment free of harmful pollutants by 2050.
Revision of Air Quality Legislation
Specifically, according to the Environment Department's announcement, the proposed revision of the air quality directives will set interim EU air quality standards for 2030, more closely aligned with World Health Organisation guidelines, while putting the EU on track to achieve zero air pollution by 2050 at the latest, in synergy with climate neutrality efforts.
The proposal will also provide greater clarity on access to justice, effective sanctions and better public information on air quality.
The new legislation will support local authorities by strengthening provisions for air quality monitoring, modelling and improved air quality plans.
Revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Legislation
The revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive will also help Europeans benefit from cleaner rivers, lakes, groundwater and seas, while making wastewater treatment more cost-effective.
Water treatment obligations will be extended to smaller municipalities and will include obligations to recover nutrients from wastewater, new standards for microbiota and new monitoring requirements for microplastics.
To facilitate the management of heavy rainfall, which is becoming more frequent due to climate change, integrated water management plans are needed in larger cities.
To make the best use of wastewater as a resource, it is proposed to pursue energy neutrality of the sector and to improve the quality of sludge to allow for greater reuse, with a positive contribution to a more circular economy.
Protecting surface water and groundwater from new pollutants
According to the Communication, based on updated scientific evidence, the Commission proposes to update the lists of water pollutants to be more stringently controlled in surface water and groundwater.
Improvements to monitoring, reporting and easier future updates of the list to keep up with science are also included.
These proposals will now be considered by the European Parliament and Council under the ordinary legislative procedure.
Once adopted, they will be phased in, with different targets for 2030, 2040 and 2050 - giving industry and authorities time to adapt and invest where necessary.
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