EU adds more substances to 'priority list' to improve water quality

The EU has added 12 new substances to its watch list for water pollution. The substances added to the list were done so with the backing of EU member states and are known to be a risk to surface waters. New substances have also been added to the 'watch list' of pollutants that are emerging in water sampling more frequently, three of which are pharmaceuticals. This is the first time that pharmaceutical products have been on the list.  

The newly extended priority substances list is an amendment to the directive on Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) and the 2000 Water Framework Directive (WFD). The updates to this environmental legislation will further aid the EU in its implementation of anti-pollution strategies. With the new products listed more measures are expected to be introduced in order to limit the release of these chemicals by companies and so further aid in the preservation of water quality.

As well as the 33 products listed amongst the priority substances, there are also products on a watch list that could be added to the priority list if they are proven to be potentially damaging to water quality. The three pharmaceutical products that are now on this watch list will be closely monitored to assess whether they should be added to the priority list.

Richard Seeber, Austrian member of European Parliament, said: "Water policy is a long-term policy. Our citizens should have access to clean water in every form (...). Unfortunately, studies show that we have some way to go to achieve good environmental status for chemicals, particularly in surface waters. The environmental quality standards in this new directive apply to 15 new substances, painstakingly defined with stakeholders."  

The maximum concentration levels in water of the newly added substances to the priority list will be set and enforced in 2018. It is hoped that once measures have been put in place to reduce the release of the new substances, good chemical status for each of them will be achieved by 2027.