EU Commission proposes Polluter Pays Principle And Collective Actions Compensation To Tackle Air And Water Pollution

Sustainability EU Commission proposes Polluter Pays Principle And Collective Actions Compensation To Tackle Air And Water Pollution Daniela De Lorenzo Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I write about sustainable food & agriculture production systems. Following New! Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories.

Got it! Oct 26, 2022, 07:44am EDT | New! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin A picture taken from Vitosha mountain on November 27, 2020, shows buildings above clouds in an area . . .

[+] with a high level of air pollution in Sofia, Bulgaria. – Winter smog season has settled in and Bulgaria’s soaring coronavirus death rate, one of Europe’s highest, is prompting experts to warn about a compound health risk from air pollution and Covid-19. (Photo by NIKOLAY DOYCHINOV / AFP) (Photo by NIKOLAY DOYCHINOV/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The European Commission proposed today stringent rules on air and water pollutants, including a polluter pays scheme which will require producers to pay for the cost of removing them, while making it easier for citizens to demand justice, whether authorities will not enforce clean air and water regulations.

Public health is directly endangered by pollution and with this proposal the European Commission plans to increase EU air quality and fresh water resilience, while modernizing wastewater treatment and protecting citizens. “Fresh air should not be luxury in the European Union in 2022,” said Virginijus Sinkevičius, commissioner for environment on the Commission’s proposals. Currently, air pollution norms are not in line with the World Health Organisation’s standards, and according to the Eurobarometer, which measure the pulse of public opinion within the European Member states, the majority of European citizens are worried about the status of the air they breathe and the water they consume.

Particular preoccupation has increased from incidents such as the mass death of fish in the German-Polish bordering river Oder, caused by a combination of climate extremes and water pollution, that determined a tipping point. The proposas aims to extend the current list of pollutants, to 25 new substances found to cause problematic effects on nature and human health, including PFAS, a range of pesticides such as glyphosate and some other compounds utilized in the pharmaceuticals, chemical and cosmetic industries. MORE FOR YOU Livestream Shopping Stays Hot As Whatnot Valuation More Than Doubles To $3.

7 Billion Taking Proactive Steps To Mitigate The Global Ransomware Pandemic How The Renegotiation Of Work Can Impact Recruiting And Retention As Companies Return To The Office Whether the proposal will be approved by the European Parliament, competent local and regional authorities could be able to impose more dissuasive penalties against polluters who breach the air quality and water management measures, according to a new Producer Responsibility scheme. “This is also to deter these industry to use these polluting substances ,” added Sinkevičius. Despite the substances being added to the list, no limitation targets were set as, according to the Commissioner, measurement technologies are not developed enough, nor cost-efficient to run impact assessments.

Each year, about 300,000 of Europeans die prematurely due to air and water pollution, hence to incentivize regulation enforcement, the Commission is proposing to expand juridical tools for citizens to claim justice against local authoritites and the right to be compensated in the case of a violation of EU air quality rules. Citizens will also have the right to be represented by non-governmental organisation through collective actions for damage compensation, a tool now widespreading within environmental juridical cases. “We will be on the sides of the municipalities looking for solutions, supporting local authorities in getting where they need to be,” said Frans Timmermans, executive vice-president of the European Commission.

The proposals will now be considered by the European Parliament and the Council in the ordinary legislative procedure. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn . Check out my website .

Daniela De Lorenzo Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.