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5.4.         Conclusions on the effectiveness of source control legislation

Reported emission data do not allow quantitative conclusions about the effectiveness of source control measures taken in the past. The data are not sufficiently reliable and the time series are not long enough for analysis. However, emission loads should have decreased, driven by the implementation of the directives on Dangerous Substances (1976), Urban Waste Water (1991) and Industrial Emissions (2010). Additionally, chemicals are now widely regulated and environmental concerns reflected in risk and hazard assessments (chapter 1.3).

Over recent decades, reductions in emissions from industry have led to significant sources now being from domestic use (Gardner et al, 2014). Despite much tighter regulation, pesticide use in agriculture can still cause contamination.  Events such as heavy rainfall can overload drainage systems and cause surges in the pollutant load into surface waters.

We rely on urban waste water treatment to reduce concentrations of many pollutants in water, but they may not meet sufficiently low concentration of micro-pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, ingredients of household chemicals, chemicals used in small businesses or industries, or pesticides. Investigations into more advanced waste water treatment techniques, for the elimination of micro-pollutants via a fourth treatment stage, are being tested in several countries. Such techniques cost about 10 to 15 EURO cents per m³ in big treatment plants, but they are not yet applied on a regular basis (UBA, 2018).

Table 5.1 showed examples of substances for which measures to prevent water pollution seem to have been effective. Sometimes this involved totally banning the use of a substance; less drastic measures may be to restrict uses where losses to water might occur, either through more careful use of the substance (such as in good practice for pesticide application) or banning its use in certain applications because such measures are not possible.

In this report, the focus has been on priority substances continuing to present a risk to Europe’s surface waters. Table 5.3 summarises the current situation and considers what more could be done to improve environmental protection.  

Previous comments

  • sommelin (Linda Sommer) 26 Sep 2018 10:53:18

    DE-BY:

    'We rely on urban waste water treatment to reduce'

    This is only one element of the strategie on micropollutions. Firstly micropollution should be minimized by replacing hazardous substances, secondly by minimizing the use. Waste water treatment is only the third option and moreover it is not valid for diffuse sources. Relying on end-of-pipe techniques seems to be not a sustainable approach.

  • sommelin (Linda Sommer) 26 Sep 2018 11:42:46

    DE-UBA IV 2.2:

    While human and veterinary medicines are mentioned as emerging contaminants in chapter 4, unfortunately this paper does not draw conclusions or requests for the management of those chemicals.

    We hightly appreciate a sentence emphasising the intensive discussion and the need to list and reduce medical emerging polluntants in this section.

  • sommelin (Linda Sommer) 26 Sep 2018 11:54:42

    DE-UBA IV 2.2:

    'We rely on urban waste water treatment to reduce concentrations of many pollutants in water, but they may not meet sufficiently low concentration of micro-pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, ingredients of household...'

    please change meet to achieve

  • sommelin (Linda Sommer) 26 Sep 2018 12:56:45

    DE-UBA II 2.1:

    'Such techniques cost about 10 to 15 EURO cents per m³ in big treatment plants, but they are not yet applied on a regular basis (UBA, 2018).'

    In Germany, it is estimated that it costs 6 to 16 Euro per person annnually to upgrade large municipal treatment plants.

    In Addition UBA, 2015 should also be cited here.

  • sommelin (Linda Sommer) 27 Sep 2018 10:51:22

    DE-UBA IV 1.3:

    'Events such as heavy rainfall can overload drainage systems and cause surges in the pollutant load into surface waters.'

    Please add: 'can result in suface run-off, overload drainage systems '...

  • hjortthe (Therese Leonhardt Hjorth) 28 Sep 2018 10:00:21

    DENMARK

    Danish monitoring results support the conclusion that treatment at UWWTPs may not be sufficient to tackle low concentrations of micro-pollutants such as pharmaceuticals and household chemicals (http://dce2.au.dk/pub/SR142.pdf).

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