PFAS in the revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD)
The new Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive ((EU) 2024/3019) came into force 1 Jan 2025 and replaced the old directive from 1991. According to the commission the directive has the specific aims to improve water quality (incl new pollutants), strengthen the polluter-pays principle (producer responsibility), advance circularity of water, address climate change (GHG emission, urban adaptation) and ensure access to sanitation. The directive should be implemented in national regulation at the latest 31 July 2027, and the requirements of the directive have then to be met in different steps until 2045.
Regarding chemical pollutants (or micropollutants) much focus has been on the necessity of quaternary treatment for the removal of pharmaceuticals but also PFAS are frequently mentioned. This includes statements and requirements such as:
- PFAS are of concern for the environment and public health and it is necessary to better understand the pathways of PFAS into the environment.
- Monitoring of ingoing wastewater and effluent in urban areas >10 000 pe with regard to both concentration and load if the water is discharged in a drinking water catchment as defined by the drinking water directive ((EU) 2020/2184; DWD)
- For this monitoring member states can select “PFAS Total”, “Sum of PFAS”, or both (but no specific limit values are given in the directive).
- Monitoring also includes pollutants, likely to be found in wastewater, in directive 2008/105/EC on environmental quality standards (EQS) (currently only PFOS is listed but the directive is under revision)
- The responsibility of the EU commission to establish a harmonized methodology for measuring “PFAS Total” and “Sum of PFAS” in urban wastewater (implementing acts shall be adopted by 2 Jan 2027)
- The commission should investigate the feasibility and appropriateness for the development of an extended producer responsibility system for products generating PFAS and microplastics.
“Sum of PFAS” and “PFAS total” both refer to parameters in DWD. “Sum of PFAS” consists of the sum of 20 different PFAS, two series of PFCA (e.g. PFOA) and PFSA (e.g. PFOS) in the range C4-C13. In Sweden 6:2 FTS has been added, making 21 substances. In the commission notice (C/2024/5414) supporting DWD, “PFAS total” can correspond to different “total” methods of which Eurofins can analyze TOP (total oxidizable precursors).
Eurofins can offer a wide range of PFAS analyses in wastewater with packs up to 53 substances incl PFAS21 (code PLWLY). For more information see our online catalogue or contact us.
Questions about PFAS can be answered by our analytical advisory service, which can be reached via the customer support, 010-490 8110 or e-mail: sh-analys.miljo.se@etn.eurofins.com
Links
EU UWWTD
EU commission info
Swedish Water (in Swedish)
Commission notice C/2024/5414
Online catalog