The control of water pollution by plastics and microplastics, chemicals that destroy aquatic and marine ecosystems, was the subject of discussion by European Environment Ministers on Tuesday 21 May in Bucharest. This is a priority of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU.
According to the Romanian Minister of Water and Forests, Ioan Deneș, this informal meeting provided "a fruitful discussion" to help identify measures to be taken at national and European level, and those that, in the long term, would improve the situation.
"Plastic and microplastic waste represents a challenge of this century. and the main source is the dry land from where they are transported by the rivers in the seas and oceans. Joint efforts of all the actors involved and a better cooperation between producers, recyclers, traders, consumers and decision-makers will reduce the environmental damage generated to the aquatic environment of the rivers and the marine environment and, also, will reduce the economic damage to coastal communities, tourism, and fishing", he said at the end of the meeting.
Among the ministers' suggestions, he mentioned the need for joint efforts at European level to combat pollution of rivers that contaminate the seas, that of increasing public awareness and continuous monitoring to help understand the local causes of pollution, regional and socio-economic specificities.
Coordination between waste management authorities and water management authorities will identify new measures to achieve good water status as soon as possible, he said.
Mr Deneș welcomed the examples of best practices to contain a scourge on ecosystems, tourism and fisheries. This will allow us to work together in the interests of human health and the environment.
The debate continued at the ministerial conference in Bucharest on 'The state of implementation of the Water Directives - Difficulties and Good Practices'.
Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella said that the fitness check of water legislation and the evaluation of the Urban Wastewater Quality Directive aim to check whether the legislation adequately addresses the problem of plastics also in inland waters. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)