Environment commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius says the cost of inaction on polllution “is far greater than the cost of prevention”. Dati Bendo-European Union 2022

Environment commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius says the cost of inaction on polllution “is far greater than the cost of prevention”. Dati Bendo-European Union 2022

The European Commission on Wednesday issued a series of proposals aimed at tightening permitted levels of ambient air, surface and groundwater pollutants, and the treatment of urban wastewater.

The proposals put forward by the European Commission on 26 October to are, it says, a key advance for the European Green Deal's zero pollution ambition of having an environment free of harmful pollution by 2050.

As well as cutting down on pollution, the new rules should also reduce deaths resulting from inhalation of the main pollutant PM2.5 - fine particle matter with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller. The proposed revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directives aims cut the annual limit value for fine particle matter cut by more than half.

“The quality of the air we breathe and the water we use is fundamental for our lives and the future of our societies,” said commissioner for the environment Virginijus Sinkevičius. “Polluted air and water harm our health and our economy and the environment, affecting the vulnerable most of all. It is therefore our duty to clean up air and water for our own and future generations. The cost of inaction is far greater 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 source - locally and cross-border.”

Provisions for compensation

The revision will also ensure that people suffering health damages from air pollution have the right to compensation if EU air quality rules are violated. They will also have the right to be represented by non-governmental organisation through collective actions for damage compensation.

The Commission reckons that the new rules  ill help achieve dramatic improvement in air quality around Europe by 2030 that could lead to gross annual benefits fo between €42 and €121 billion in 2030, at a cost of under €6 billion costs annually.

“An unhealthy environment has direct and costly consequences for our health,” said executive vice-president for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans. “Each year, hundreds of thousands Europeans die prematurely and many more suffer from heart- and lung diseases or pollution-induced cancers. By 2050, we want our environment to be free of harmful pollutants. Our proposals to further reduce water and air pollution are a crucial piece of that puzzle.”

Producers to pay for removal of toxic micro-pollutants

The Commission is also proposing to update lists of water pollutants to be more strictly controlled in surface waters and groundwater.

25 substances with well-documented problematic effects on nature and human health will be added to the lists, including so-called  “forever chemicals” or PFAS, that are used among others in cookware, clothing and furniture, fire-fighting foam and personal care products.

A new Extended Producer Responsibility scheme will require producers to pay for the cost of removing toxic micro-pollutants, 92% of which come from pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.