Activities of Pernille WEISS related to 2022/0345(COD)
Plenary speeches (1)
Urban wastewater treatment (debate)
Amendments (41)
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Small agglomerations constitute a significant pressure on 11 % of the surface water bodies in the Union39. To better tackle the pollution from such agglomerations, and to prevent discharges of untreated urban wastewater into the environment, the scope of this Directive should include all agglomerations of 1 0500population equivalent (p.e.) and above. _________________ 39 EEA report, European waters: Assessment of status and pressures 2018, No 7/2018.
Amendment 66 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) In order to ensure effective treatment of urban wastewater before discharge into the environment, all urban wastewaters from agglomerations of 1 0500 p.e. and above should be collected in centralised collecting systems. Where such systems are already in place, Member States should ensure that all sources of urban wastewater are connected to them.
Amendment 70 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Exceptionally, where it can be demonstrated that the establishment of a centralised urban wastewater collecting system would produce no environmental benefit or involve excessive costs, Member States should be allowed to use individual systems to treat urban wastewater, as long as they ensure the same level of treatmentenvironmental protection as secondary and tertiary treatment. For this purpose, Member States should establish national registers to identify individual systems used on their territory and take all necessary measures to ensure that the design of such systems is adequate, that the systems are properly maintained and that they are subject to a regular compliance control. In particular, Member States should ensure that individual systems used for the collection and storage of urban wastewater are impervious and leak-proof, and that monitoring and inspection of the systems are carried out at regular and fixed intervals.
Amendment 74 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) During rainfall, storm water overflows and urban runoff discharges represent a sizeable remaining source of pollution discharged into the environment. Those emissions are expected to increase due to the combined effects of urbanisation and progressive change of the rain regime linked with climate change. Solutions to reduce that source of pollution should be defined at local level taking into account the specific local conditions, including climatic ones. They should be based on an integrated quantitative and qualitative water management in urban areas. In addition, control at source through nature-based solutions should be mainstreamed as a first step to avoid pollution in urban runoff, as well as co- ordination of measures to control the quantity of urban runoff at source. Therefore, Member States should ensure that integrated urban wastewater management plans are established at local level for all agglomerations of 100 000 p.e. and above as those agglomerations are responsible for a significant share of the pollution emitted. Furthermore, integrated urban wastewater management plans should also be put in place for agglomeration of between 10 000 p.e. and 100 000 p.e. where storm water overflows or urban runoff poses a risk for the environment or public health.
Amendment 87 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) In order to ensure that the integrated urban wastewater management plans are cost-effective, it is important that they are based on best practices in advanced urban areas. Therefore, the measures to be considered should be based on a thorough analysis of the local conditions and should favour a preventive approach aiming at limiting the collection of unpolluted rain waters and optimising the use of existing infrastructures. With a preference for ‘green’ developments, new grey infrastructures should only be envisaged where absolutely necessary. In order to protect the environment, in particular the coastal and marine environment, and public health from being adversely affected by the discharge of insufficiently treated urban wastewater, secondary treatment should be applied to all discharges of urban wastewater from agglomerations of 1 0500 p.e. and above.
Amendment 106 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The quaternary treatment necessary to remove micro-pollutants from urban wastewater will imply additional costs, such as costs related to monitoring and new advanced equipment to be installed in certain urban wastewater treatment plants. In order to cover these additional costs and in accordance with the polluter-pays principle expressed in Article 191(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), it is essential that the producers placing on the Union market products containing substances which, at the end of their life, are found as micro- pollutants in urban wastewaters (‘micro- pollutant substances’) take responsibility for the additional treatment required to remove those substances, generated in the context of their professional activities. A system of extended producer responsibility is the most appropriate means to achieve this, as it would limit the financial impact on the taxpayer and water tariff, while providing an incentive to develop greener products. Extended producer responsibility schemes should be implemented before the deadline for compliance with quaternary treatment. Pharmaceuticals and cosmetic residues currently represent the main sources of micro-pollutants found in urban wastewater requiring an additional treatment (quaternary treatment). Therefore, extended producer responsibility should apply to those two product groups. The list of product groups should be adapted, if and as necessary, in the future in line with scientific and technological development, the evolution of the range of products placed on the market and new data from monitoring.
Amendment 129 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) Exonerations from the extended producer responsibility obligations should nevertheless be possible where products are placed on the market in small quantities, i.e. less than 2 tonnes of products, since the additional administrative burden for the producer would in such cases be disproportionate compared to the environmental benefits. Exonerations should also be possible when the producer can demonstrate that no micro-pollutants are generated at the end of life of a product. It might be the case for instance where it can be proven that the residues from a product are inherently biodegradable or rapidly biodegradable in the wastewaters and the environment or not reaching the urban wastewater treatment plants. The Commission should be empowered to adopt implementing acts to establish detailed criteria to identify the products placed on the market that do not generate micro-pollutants in wastewaters at the end of their life. When developing these criteria, the Commission should take into account scientific or other available technical information, including relevant international standards.
Amendment 147 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The evaluation has also shown that the wastewater treatment sector offers the opportunity to significantly reduce its own energy consumption and to produce renewable energy, for example by better use of the available surfaces in urban wastewater treatment plants for solar energy production or by producing biogas from sludge. The evaluation also illustrated that, without clear legal obligations, only partial progress can be expected in this sector. In this context, Member States should be required to ensure that the total annual energy used by all urban wastewater treatment plants on their national territory treating a load of 10 000 p.e. and above does not exceed the production of energy from renewable sources as defined in Article 2(1) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council44, by those urban wastewater treatment plants. That objective should be progressively met with interim targets by 31 December 2040. Reaching this energy neutrality target will contribute to reduce the avoidable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the sector by 46 %, while supporting the achievement of the 2050 climate neutrality objectives and related national and Union objectives, [such as the objectives set out in Regulation (EU) 2018/842 of the European Parliament and of the Council45. Encouraging EU-based biogas or solar energy production while enhancing energy efficiency measures in line with the Energy Efficiency First principle46, which means taking utmost account of cost-efficient energy efficiency measures in shaping energy policy and making relevant investment decisions, will also help reduce the Union energy dependence, one of the objectives expressed in the Commission "Repower EU" Plan47. It is also in line with Directive (EU) 2018/844 of the European Parliament and of the Council48and with Directive (EU) 2018/2001 in which urban wastewater treatment sites are qualified as ‘go-to' areas for renewables, meaning a location designated as particularly suitable for the installation of plants for the production of energy from renewable sources. In order to reach the objective of energy neutrality via optimal measures for each urban wastewater treatment plant and for the collection system, Member States should ensure that energy audits are carried out in accordance with Article 8 of Directive 2012/27/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council49every four years.Thoseaudits should include an identification of the potential for cost- accompanied by an action plan laying down a set of measures to be implemented by the plants in order to decrease their energy consumption.Thoseaudits should include an identification of the potential for reduction of energy consumption in accordance with the energy efficiency first principle, cost-effective recovery and use of waste heat, either onsite or via a district energy system, orcost-effective use or production of renewable energy following the criteria set out in Annex VI to Directive 2012/27/EU. _________________ 44 Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p. 82). 45 Regulation (EU) 2018/842 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on binding annual greenhouse gas emission reductions by Member States from 2021 to 2030 contributing to climate action to meet commitments under the Paris Agreement and amending Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 (OJ L 156, 19.6.2018, p. 26). 46 Commission Recommendation (EU) 2021/1749 of 28 September 2021 on Energy Efficiency First: from principles to practice — Guidelines and examples for its implementation in decision-making in the energy sector and beyond 47 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: REPowerEU Plan (COM/2022/230 final). 48 Directive (EU) 2018/844 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 amending Directive 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings and Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency (OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p. 210). 49 Directive 2012/27/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on energy efficiency, amending Directives 2009/125/EC and 2010/30/EU and repealing Directives 2004/8/EC and 2006/32/EC (OJ L 315, 14.11.2012, p. 1).
Amendment 180 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) In order to protect the environment and human health, Member States should identify the risks caused by urban wastewaters management. As such, control at source should be promoted to prevent pollution in urban wastewater. On the basis of that identification, and where necessary to comply with the requirements of the Union water legislation, Member States should take more stringent measures for the urban wastewater collection and treatment than the measures required to comply with the minimum requirements set out in this Directive. Depending on the situation, those more stringent measures can include, inter alia, the establishment of collecting systems, the development of integrated urban wastewater management plans or the application of secondary, tertiary or quaternary treatment to urban wastewater for agglomerations or urban wastewater treatment plants that do not reach the p.e. thresholds triggering the application of the standard requirements. They can also include more advanced treatment than the treatment necessary to respect the minimum requirements or disinfection of treated urban wastewaters necessary to comply with Directive 2006/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council55. _________________ 55 Directive 2006/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 February 2006 concerning the management of bathing water quality and repealing Directive 76/160/EEC (OJ L 64, 4.3.2006, p. 37).
Amendment 205 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) In order to reduce administrative burden and better use the possibilities offered by digitalisation, the reporting on the implementation of the Directive should be improved and simplified by removing the obligation for Member States to report every two years to the Commission and for the Commission to publish bi-yearly reports. It should be replaced by a requirement for Member States to improve, with the support of the European Environment Agency (EEA), the existing national standardised data sets established under Directive 91/271/EEC, and to regularly update them. Permanent access to the national databases should be provided to the Commission and the EEA. In order to ensure complete information on the application of this Directive, the data sets should include information on compliance of urban wastewater treatment plants with the treatment requirements (pass/fail, loads and concentration of pollutants discharged), on the level of achievement of the objectives of energy neutrality, on GHG emissions of the treatment plants above 10 000 p.e. and on measures taken by the Member States in the context of storm water overflows/ urban runoff, access to sanitation and treatment by individual systems. Moreover, full coherence with Regulation (EC) 166/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council65should be ensured to optimise the use of the data, as well as to support full transparency. _________________ 65 Regulation (EC) No 166/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 January 2006 concerning the establishment of a European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register and amending Council Directives 91/689/EEC and 96/61/EC (Text with EEA relevance) OJ L 33, 4.2.2006, p. 1–17
Amendment 270 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6
(6) 'storm water overflow’ means discharge of untreated urban wastewater in receiving waters from combined sewers caused by excessive rainfall;
Amendment 286 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12
(12) 'tertiary treatment' means treatment of urban wastewater by a process which removes nitrogen andor phosphorus from the urban wastewaters depending on receiving water conditions;
Amendment 356 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 24 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 24 a (new)
(24a) 'direct greenhouse gas emission' means the release of gases such as nitrous oxide and methane from sources that are either owned or controlled by urban wastewater treatment plants and collecting systems.
Amendment 357 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 24 b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 24 b (new)
(24b) 'indirect greenhouse gas emission' means the release of gases resulting from the production of purchased electricity that is imported into the urban wastewater treatment plant and collection systems, as well as from their operation.
Amendment 366 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) all their sources of domestic wastewater are connected to the collecting system whereby the connections will provide an environmental benefit.
Amendment 368 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) all their sources of domesticurban wastewater are connected to the collecting system.
Amendment 378 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) all their sources of domestic wastewater are connected to the collecting system whereby the connections will provide an environmental benefit.
Amendment 380 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) all their sources of domesticurban wastewater are connected to the collecting system.
Amendment 400 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 3
Article 4 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 27 to supplement this Directive byMember States shall establishing minimum requirements on the design, operation, and maintenance of individual systems and by specifyingshall establish the requirements for the regular inspections referred to in paragraph 2, second subparagraph. The Commission shall provide guidance on the abovementioned minimum requirements on the design, operation, and maintenance of individual systems across Europe.
Amendment 401 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 4 – introductory part
Article 4 – paragraph 4 – introductory part
4. Member States that use individual systems to treat more than 2 % of the urban wastewater load from agglomerations of 2 000 p.e. and above shall provide the Commission with a detailed justification for the use of individual systems in each of the agglomerations, where there is a risk to the environment or human health from the use of the individual systems in the agglomerations. That justification shall:
Amendment 407 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 4 – point c
Article 4 – paragraph 4 – point c
Amendment 560 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 6
Article 7 – paragraph 6
6. Discharges from urban waste water wastewater treatment plants of 10 000 p.e. and above into a relevant catchment area of an area sensitive to eutrophication included in a list referred to in paragraph 2 shall also be subject to paragraphs 3, 4 and 5.
Amendment 831 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – title
Article 11 – title
Energy neutrality and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of urban wastewater treatment plants and collecting systems
Amendment 834 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Amendment 864 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. Member States shall ensure that the total annual energy from renewable sources, as defined in Article 2(1) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001, producgenerated at national level on- or off-site by urban wastewater treatment plants treating a load of 10 000 p.e. and above by their owners or their operators, or bought from external sources, is equivalent to at least:
Amendment 879 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) 50 % of the total annual energy used by such plants and their collecting systems by 31 December 2030;
Amendment 892 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) 75 % of the total annual energy used by such plants and their collecting systems by 31 December 2035;
Amendment 908 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) 100 % of the total annual energy used by such plants and their collecting systems by 31 December 2040.
Amendment 917 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
(ca) Efforts aimed at achieving energy neutrality shall not lead to an increase of methane and nitrous oxide emissions.
Amendment 966 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 15 – paragraph 3
Article 15 – paragraph 3
3. The specific authorisations referred to in paragraph 2 shall be reviewed at least every 6 years and, if necessary, adapted at regular intervals.
Amendment 967 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 15 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Member States shall take all necessary measures to anticipate and adapt their urban wastewater collection and treatment infrastructures to address increased loads of domestic wastewater, including the construction of new infrastructures where necessary.All precautionary measures shall be taken to avoid deterioration of ecological and of chemical status of affected water bodies.Member States shall be considered to comply with the objectives set out in Directive 2000/60/EC if all following criteria are met: (a) alternative ways to address the increase in domestic wastewater loads and run off loads, including the consideration of alternative points of discharge, would not produce more environmental benefits or they would involve excessive cost; (b) all technically feasible mitigation measures are set out in the authorisation of a wastewater treatment plant referred to in Articles 6, 7 and 8 and effectively implemented to minimize the impacts from urban wastewater on the affected water bodies including where so required more stringent emission controls, with the aim of meeting the objectives set out in Directive 2000/60/EC and the environmental quality standards set in accordance with Directive 2008/105/EC. Compliance with these criteria shall be demonstrated in the relevant River Basin Management Plans developed under Directive 2000/60/EC.
Amendment 1021 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 18 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. Where risks have been identified in accordance with paragraph 1, Member States shall adopt appropriate measures to address them, which shallmay include where appropriate the following measures:
Amendment 1025 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 18 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) establishing collecting systems in accordance with Article 3 for agglomerations with a p.e. of less than 1 0500;
Amendment 1034 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 18 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) applying secondary treatment in accordance with Article 6 to discharges of urban wastewater from agglomerations with a p.e. of less than 1 0500;
Amendment 1054 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 19 – paragraph 1
Article 19 – paragraph 1
Without prejudice to the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, whilst taking into account the local, regional and cultural perspectives and circumstances for sanitation, Member States shall take all necessary measures to improve access to sanitation for all, in particular for vulnerable and marginalised groups.
Amendment 1112 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) the direct and indirect greenhouse gases produced and the energy used and produced by urban wastewater treatment plants of above 10 000 p.e. The monitoring program should include measurements for long term quantification and identification of leaks.
Amendment 1155 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 22 – paragraph 1 – point e
Article 22 – paragraph 1 – point e
(e) by 31 December 2025, set up a data set containing information on direct and indirect green house gas emissions from all operational activities with a breakdown between different gasses and on the total energy used and renewable energy produced by each urban wastewater treatment plant of 10 000 p.e. and above as well as a calculation of the percentage of achievement of the targets set out in Article 11(2) and (3) and update that data set annually thereafter;
Amendment 1175 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point c
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point c
c) an estimate of investments needed to renew existing urban wastewater infrastructures, including collecting systems, based on their age and depreciation rates, and using appropriate digital instruments;
Amendment 1202 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) information on the compliance of the collection and treatment of urban wastewater with Articles 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8, presented as a percentage value, including a comparison between the actual releases of pollutants in receiving waters with the limit values set out in Tables 1, 2 and 3 of Annex I;
Amendment 1252 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 26 – paragraph 4
Article 26 – paragraph 4
4. Where there is a claim for compensation in accordance with paragraph 1, supported by evidence from whicthat allows to establish a causality link may be presumed between the damage and the violation, Member States shall ensure that the onus is on the person responsible for the violation to prove that the violation did not cause or contribute to the damage.
Amendment 1343 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex V – point 2 – point a – paragraph 1
Annex V – point 2 – point a – paragraph 1
an indicative objective that storm water overflow, represents no more than 1 % of the annual collected urban wastewater load calculated in dry weather condi specific objective of reduction of pollution from storm water overflows shall be established in the Integrated urban wastewater management plans, according to the local needs of environmental protections;