Workshop: Reducing water pollution from pharmaceuticals

Workshop: Reducing water pollution from pharmaceuticals

Zaragoza, Spain. 13 December 2019

Aim: Bringing together knowledge and expertise on how to reduce the presence of pharmaceuticals in the water environment. Identifying lessons learned and opportunities for joint follow-up action.

 

Organisers: European Commission and World Health Organization (WHO)

          

Local host

Agenda (pdf)

Workshop: Reducing water pollution from pharmaceuticals

Zaragoza, Spain. 13 December 2019

Aim: To bring together knowledge and expertise on how to reduce the presence of pharmaceuticals in the water environment. To identify lessons learned and opportunities for joint follow-up action.

Agenda:

09:00    Registration. Coffee will be available for participants

09:30    Welcome by Veronica Manfredi, European Commission; Bruce Gordon, World Health Organization (WHO) & Jose Maria Abad, Aragon Department of Health

09:40    Introduction by Veronica Manfredi, European Commission

09:55    Keynote presentation “SDGs: Linking Water & Health” by Bruce Gordon, World Health Organization (WHO)

10:15    Panel presentations on ongoing work. Chaired by Sandra Garcia-Armesto, Aragon Department of Health.

• Antibiotics and water in Aragon region, by Juan Carlos Vidal, Aragon Environmental Science Research Institute
• “Quality Unknown” – Solutions that focus on information, prevention and investment, by Steven Schonberger, The World Bank
• The European Commission’s Strategic Approach to Pharmaceuticals in the Environment, by Hans Stielstra, European Commission
• AMR and Environment: A WHO perspective from the Global Action Plan on AMR, by Kate Medlicott, World Health Organization (WHO)
• Supply chain approach and producer responsibility, by Oliver Loebel, European Federation of National Associations of Water Services (EurEau)
• European Pharma Industry’s initiative to address PIE – Eco-Pharmaco-Stewardship, by Michael Wiedemann, European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) and Bayer AG
• The Safer Pharma campaign: Protecting the environment from pharmaceutical pollution, by Jean-Yves Stenuick, Health Care Without Harm (HCWH)

10:50    Moderated Discussion ‘Action at source’ with panellists and audience. Moderated by Guido Schmidt, EIP Water. Addressing questions as:

• How can authorities be a role model (e.g. green public procurement)?
• What shall be done about advertising?
• How can the availability of effective ‘greener pharmaceuticals’ be increased/encouraged?
• How can the healthcare professionals and the public be informed and engaged?

Conclusions by the Moderator

11:40    Moderated Discussion ‘Innovative effluent management at hotspots’ with panellists and audience. Moderated by Bruce Gordon, World Health Organization (WHO). Addressing questions as:

• “Use hotspots”: How can hotspots be identified/targeted (e.g. hospitals, UWWTPs in dense urban areas) and how can different stakeholders cooperate on monitoring/treatment?
• Manufacturing hotspots: how to reduce emissions, including how to combat AMR?
• Which innovative technology for effluent management offers the most promise?
• How to apply the polluter-pays principle (including mechanisms for implementing extended producer responsibility)?

Conclusions by the Moderator

12:30    Way forward – next steps, by Veronica Manfredi, European Commission & Bruce Gordon, World Health Organization (WHO)

12:40    Closure

 

A light cocktail will be served after the workshop

 

Background information:

• European Commission: “Strategic Approach to Pharmaceuticals in the Environment” [https://ec.europa.eu/commission/news/pharmaceuticals-environment-2019-mar-11_en]
• World Health Organization: “Pharmaceuticals in drinking-water” [https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/2012/pharmaceuticals/en/]
• The World Bank: “Quality Unknown: The Invisible Water Crisis” [https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2019/08/20/quality-unknown]