New Study on Urban Wastewater: Limited Contribution of Pharmaceuticals to Overall Toxic Load
Press Release
7% vs. 66%: New scientific data reveal a significant divergence in estimates of the toxic load attributable to pharmaceuticals
The pharmaceutical industry remains firmly committed to protecting the environment and advancing sustainable development, with its actions firmly grounded in scientific evidence.
Athens, 6 October 2026 – A new scientific study provides new data on the issue of micropollution in urban wastewater. The study was initiated by the Panhellenic Union of Pharmaceutical Industry (PEF), the Hellenic Association of Pharmaceutical Companies (SFEE) and the Hellenic Association of Self-Care Industry (EFEX), in collaboration with the Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), under Professor of Analytical Chemistry Nikos Thomaidis.
The scientific team conducted systematic sampling at the Psyttaleia and Larissa wastewater treatment plants. The study examined a broad range of micropollutants and assessed their contribution to the overall ecotoxicological load of treated wastewater.
The study demonstrates that the contribution of pharmaceuticals to the calculated toxic load of treated wastewater is limited, accounting for an average of just 7% across the two wastewater treatment plants examined. This finding differs substantially from the estimates used in the European Commission’s impact assessment for the revision of the Directive, according to which pharmaceuticals were attributed approximately 66% of the total toxic load of the relevant micropollutants.
These findings highlight the complex and multifactorial nature of micropollution in urban wastewater. In view of the implementation of the new EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD), PEF, SFEE and EFEX stress the need for the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to be based on the most recent scientific evidence and to reflect the actual contribution of the different categories of micropollutants.
PEF, SFEE and EFEX reiterate the pharmaceutical industry’s firm commitment to protecting the environment and public health, as well as to promoting sustainable development, as shared and non-negotiable objectives. In all cases, protecting the environment and public health requires coherent, science-based policies and an effective management framework that sets clear priorities and is based on targeted interventions.
