Environmental Ombudsman Virginijus Sinkevicius told Reuters last week that the EU plans to introduce tougher restrictions on pollution, through three new bills aimed at curbing harmful water and air pollution. The bill is supposed to enter into force in 2030, Euronews reports.
One of the new laws will pave the way to bring air quality closer to WHO recommendations, and give local authorities more power to clean up the air in their area. It may also enable citizens to claim compensation if their health has been affected by illegal emissions.
Another one of the laws intends to make companies responsible for the cost of cleaning up pollution from their wastewater, which is likely to mainly concern pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies. The reason behind the bill is that the entire cost should not end up on the citizens, which will be the effect if it is the states that have cost responsibility.
Once the legal changes have been formally proposed, negotiations and approval by the individual member states remain.
Residents want cleaner air
The legislative proposals seem to be in line with the will of the majority of EU citizens. According to a Eurobarometer, 67 percent of citizens believe that air quality in the EU needs to be improved, and many of them believe that the fossil fuel industry, companies, and authorities are not doing enough.
“People tell us they want clean air to breathe. People in cities, those with asthma, and those who live near industrial plants are worried, and they are asking us to act. The Commission will lead the way with an ambitious proposal to strengthen air quality standards in the EU." says Sinkevicius.
Image: "paris smog" by austinevan is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
