Cost explosion for sewage treatment plants: pharmaceutical industry sounds the alarm!

Cost explosion for sewage treatment plants: pharmaceutical industry sounds the alarm!

Berlin (ots)

The pharmaceutical industry is sounding the alarm - the cost forecasts of the Association of Municipal Companies (VKU) for the new fourth treatment stage within the framework of the EU Municipal Wastewater Directive (KARL) have been heavily criticized! Pharma Germany has published an explosive analysis that points to drastic discrepancies between the VKU estimates and the real construction and operating costs.

The VKU study estimates costs between 0.40 and 2.60 euros per cubic meter of wastewater, depending on the size of the sewage treatment plant. But the reality is different: The projects examined by Pharma Germany already show construction costs of up to 3.91 euros per cubic meter! What's going on here? The study could turn out to be a purely theoretical paper - with a merciless reality check!

Significant cost gaps uncovered

Dorothee Brakmann, Managing Director of Pharma Deutschland, leaves no doubt that the VKU forecasts are up in the air: “The VKU’s current forecasts ignore the actual financial burden.” The conclusion is clear: while the VKU expects 4 billion euros to be spent on building 570 sewage treatment plants, the actual amount could rise to a shocking 10.5 billion euros - over twice as much! A real disaster for budget planning.

In view of this alarming situation, the pharmaceutical industry is calling on the federal government to enter into dialogue. “In order to avert expensive and lasting damage to the pharmaceutical industry and drug supply, the industry’s concerns must be taken seriously,” explains Brakmann. Time is running out and the pressure on politicians is increasing!

Criticism of the financing of the fourth treatment stage

The new directive requires manufacturers of human medicines and cosmetics to cover at least 80 percent of the costs of setting up the fourth treatment stage. This could prove to be an unbearable burden – not just for pharmaceutical companies, but also for consumers. The industry is in turmoil and it remains to be seen how the federal government will respond to these dramatic warnings.

The crux of the situation: The EU Commission finally confirmed the revised directive in November 2024. Now Member States must act - and the pharmaceutical industry is pushing to be included in this process. The question remains: Will the federal government acknowledge the alarming facts and listen to the industry, or will there be a massive financial burden for everyone involved?