The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has dismissed as inadmissible the actions brought by the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries against the extended producer responsibility of the Urban Waste Water Directive. 

The decision confirms the view of the water associations that the polluter pays principle must play an important role at European level and be implemented consistently. It is now important to transpose the law into German law swiftly and without special regulations.

The expansion of wastewater treatment plants with 4th purification stages for the removal of pharmaceutical residues and other substances will be implemented according to size classes and with staggered deadlines. 80% of the investment and operating costs are to be borne by the distributors, i.e. the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. 

The water associations in NRW are already well positioned in many areas with regard to the upcoming requirements of KARL. Our aspiration to lead the way in innovation can already be seen in the numerous R&D projects and pilot studies, including on 4th purification stages. We already see preventive water protection, advanced purification technology, climate protection and climate adaptation as fixed components of our water management activities.