We have a European plan to tackle pollution of the air, water and soil! Good intentions are laid out over 22 pages. If we were not in a highly critical situation, we would be filled with joy to see this action plan that the European Commission has sent to the Parliament and the Council. In summary: we know there is a problem and we have decided to tackle it at the European level.
The zero pollution targets for 2030
Under EU law, Green Deal ambitions and in synergy with other initiatives, by 2030 the EU should reduce:
1. by more than 55% the health impacts (premature deaths) of air pollution;
2. by 30% the share of people chronically disturbed by transport noise;
3. by 25% the EU ecosystems where air pollution threatens biodiversity;
4. by 50% nutrient losses, the use and risk of chemical pesticides, the use of the more hazardous ones, and the sale of antimicrobials for farmed animals and in aquaculture;
5. by 50% plastic litter at sea and by 30% microplastics released into the environment;
6. significantly total waste generation and by 50% residual municipal waste.
And for the soil:
Furthermore, the proposed ‘’Mission in the area of Soil Health and Food’, together with the agricultural European Innovation Partnership (EIP AGRI), will promote the wide-spread uptake of practices for pesticide and nutrient reduction by promoting innovations and exchange of knowledge.
It will aim to ensuring that, by 2030, 75% of soils are healthy, also thanks to a specific objective on reducing soil pollution and enhancing restoration. As part of the upcoming EU soil strategy, the Commission will develop measures to significantly increase efforts to identify, investigate, assess and remediate contaminated sites, so that by 2050 soil pollution will no longer pose a health or environmental risk. New soil contamination should be prevented as much as possible, but when it occurs despite preventive and other measures, the risks should be immediately addressed. An estimated 2.8 million sites are potentially contaminated across the EU, of which 390000 are expected to require remediation.
By 2018, only some 65500 sites were reported to have been remediated. It is crucial that all Member States have a register for (potentially) contaminated sites, step up efforts to remediate such sites and develop clear criteria to prioritise decontamination. The upcoming proposal for legally binding EU nature restoration targets will consider addressing the restoration of degraded soil ecosystems. The Commission will also develop an EU priority watch list for soil contaminants as well as guidance, e.g. for a passport for the safe, sustainable and circular use of excavated soils based on Member State experiences where they exist. To better understand the issue of diffuse soil pollution in the EU, the Commission will work towards integrating a zero pollution module in the future LUCAS [Land Use/Cover Area frame statistical Survey] soil survey. The availability and awareness of public and private funding options for identifying, investigating and remediating contaminated soils will be promoted and facilitated.
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