Esther Herranz García· PPE

Confirmed

Pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies are required to bear 80% of the quaternary treatment and wastewater costs, potentially reaching 100%.

Omissions

• The requirement is part of the recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD), which was approved by the European Parliament in April 2024.
• The 80% threshold applies specifically to the costs of removing micro-pollutants through quaternary treatment, not all wastewater treatment costs.
• The implementation deadline for meeting this requirement is 31 December 2028.

Sources

• PrimaryEuropean Parliament - Plenary News80% of the costs of removing micro-pollutants from urban wastewater by 31 December 2028
• SecondaryHogan Lovells - Pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies targeted by revised urban wastewater treatment directiveProducers of medicinal products and cosmetics placing their products on the EU market will be required to cover: at least 80% of the costs for quaternary treatment
• SecondaryMedicines for Europe - Case for UWWTD in the simplification omnibusThe UWWTD introduces an 'extended producer responsibility' (EPR) on the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, to pay for the late-stage ('quaternary') treatment
• SecondaryInside EU Life Sciences - New EU Wastewater Treatment Fees on ProducersThe European Parliament approved a new (recast) Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) that will impose new additional costs on producers marketing pharmaceutical and cosmetic products