News Nitrates Directive
'Agriculture must pay for pollution costs'
The polluter pays. That principle still applies too little to the agricultural sector, according to the European Court of Auditors in a report published this week. Agriculture plays an important role in water pollution in particular, without the sector having to bear the costs.
Under current European regulations, the polluter pays principle is mainly found in environmental legislation. According to the Court of Auditors, agriculture is still largely left out, so that it is mainly the taxpayer who bears the costs of pollution. According to the Court of Auditors, that must change. The researchers state that the agricultural sector has a large share in the pollution of water with nitrate and plant protection products.
However, the agricultural sector makes very little financial contribution to wastewater treatment, because by far the largest part of the water used does not end up in the sewage system, according to the accountants. It cites a French study done in 2011, which found that each household in France in the worst-affected areas incurs up to €494 per year in additional costs as a result of water pollution.
Practice is unruly
The Court of Audit admits in the report that it is very difficult to apply the polluter pays principle in agriculture. The sources of pollution are very diffuse and, for example, in the case of nitrate, it can also take decades before the substance ends up in the groundwater because it is stored in the soil and moves slowly. It is therefore virtually impossible to trace the source of the pollution. In addition, any changes in agricultural practice would have a delayed effect on water quality.
In the report, the Court of Auditors makes recommendations: to lower emission limit values to reduce residual pollution and to tackle diffuse water pollution from all sources, including agriculture. However, no concrete measures are mentioned in the report.
The full report is here to find.
Jurphaas Lugtenburg
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