The European Green Deal, presented in December 2019, announces the EU’s intention to become the first climate neutral continent by 2050, resulting in a cleaner environment, more affordable energy, smarter transport, new jobs, and overall better quality of life.

Central to the Green Deal is the Zero Pollution Action Plan (ZPAP) which aims to cut air, water, and soil pollution to levels no longer considered harmful to health and natural ecosystems, thereby creating a toxic-free environment.

Water operators fully support this goal, but some developments seem to go in the opposite direction. They are seeing higher concentrations of several PFAS – the so-called ‘forever chemicals’ – in water.