City and municipal utilities clearly advocate producer responsibility
Riedstadt. The City of Riedstadt and Riedstadt Public Utilities expressly support the position of the leading municipal associations on the EU's new Urban Wastewater Directive (KARL). This is in line with the discussion surrounding a possible withdrawal of extended producer responsibility , which, among other things, manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics to share responsibility for persistent substances in wastewater.
Focus on fairer burden sharing
After years of negotiations, the new Wastewater Directive was adopted in Brussels in December 2024. A key point is the introduction of a fourth treatment stage for wastewater treatment plants in municipalities with over 10,000 population equivalent. The goal is microplastics and trace substances such as pharmaceutical residues or cosmetic residues.
Instead of shifting the resulting costs solely onto citizens, the directive for the first time also provides for industry to participate in financing . An approach that Riedstadt's mayor, Marcus Kretschmann , and municipal utility director, Saskia Kirsch, expressly welcome:
"We must defend this major step toward a fairer burden distribution," both emphasize in unison.
Billions in investments are imminent
Implementing the new purification level will significant investment . For municipalities, this means high construction and operating costs that cannot be borne by ratepayers alone in the long run.
"It cannot be the case that municipalities and their citizens alone bear the costs, while those responsible for the pollution are left out," said Kirsch.
Political resistance to the new regulation is currently forming. Representatives from industry and business, in particular, are calling for a withdrawal of manufacturer responsibility. The German Association of Cities, the German Association of Districts, the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, and the Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU) – supported by municipalities like Riedstadt.
Appeal to politicians
The city and municipal utilities of Riedstadt therefore appeal to all decision-makers to prevent
weakening of the EU directive "The Municipal Wastewater Directive must be transposed into state law with full force and validity," said Kretschmann. "Only in this way can we jointly protect the environment, health, and municipal budgets in the long term."
(Riedstadt - Red/PSR)
Featured image: The central wastewater treatment plant in Riedstadt-Goddelau . Photo: City of Riedstadt
