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Friends of the Earth calls on EU Parliament to strengthen draft groundwater directive
President of the Parliament receives nitrates to inspire Parliament to protect Europe's drinking water
Berlin, 5 June 2006 - Friends of the Earth Europe today warned that the protection of drinking water in Europe is under threat if the current draft Groundwater Directive is not toughened by the European Parliament. They issued the warning today to coincide with World Environment Day.
Friends of the Earth Europe appealed to the 732 members of European Parliament to vote against any amendments that would weaken groundwater protection. The environmental NGO insists that the precautionary principle must be maintained in order to protect EU citizens from nitrates and other toxins in groundwater, which can then end up in our drinking water. The draft Groundwater Directive will be discussed by the European Parliament in Strasbourg on June 12.
Sebastian Schönauer, water expert at Friends of the Earth Germany, said, "40% of groundwater in Europe is already seriously polluted, especially in areas of intensive mass animal farming. In Germany, nitrates in groundwater are in some cases seven times higher than limits allow, especially in areas of intensive mass animal farming."
"The daily contamination of Europe's groundwater must be stopped, in particular the nitrogen entry from intensive animal farming," Schönauer demanded.
In the draft directive, EU standards to avoid contamination by toxic pesticides, heavy metals and pharmaceutical residues are inadequate. The draft allows for many exceptions to the limit of 50 mg of nitrate per litre. These loopholes would lead to the massive nitrate pollution of groundwater, which can then cause the pollution of drinking water. In addition, the draft ignores the damaging effect of chemicals on small animals and other organisms in the water. Damage to these organisms weakens the natural purification systems in groundwater.
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Friends of the Earth Europe sent a package of 40 g of nitrate fertilizer to Josep Borrell Fontelle, the President of the European Parliament. The package is a symbolic appeal to the European Parliament to vote to protect groundwater and therefore drinking water. |
To visualise the problem, Friends of the Earth Europe sent a package of 40 g of nitrate fertilizer to Josep Borrell Fontelle, the President of the European Parliament. The package is a symbolic appeal to the European Parliament to vote to protect groundwater and therefore drinking water. In certain areas of Germany where groundwater pollution is severe, an adult can consume about 40 g of nitrate in seven days by drinking fountain water. In the event of its contamination, costly technologies are needed to purify drinking water, which then leads to rising water prices.
Within the human body, nitrates are converted into poisonous nitrites, which increase the risk of cancer and may lead to life-threatening blue disease in children. Nitrates are also responsible for over-fertilisation of water streams, lakes and seas.
Tomorrow (Tuesday 6 June), in Germany, Friends of the Earth activists will deliver packages of 40 g nitrate fertilizer to German members of the EU Parliament. In Germany, Friends of the Earth is called " Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland " (BUND). [1]
Contacts:
- Doris Eberhardt, BUND water expert in Germany, Tel 0049-162-6773326, Email: doris.eberhardt@bund.net
- Almut Gaude, BUND press officer in Germany, Tel 0049-30-27586-464, Mob 0049-163-6079090, Email: presse@bund.net
- Rosemary Hall, Communications Officer at Friends of the Earth Europe: Tel: +32 485 930515, rosemary.hall@foeeurope.org
Notes
[1] www.bund.net
Friends of the Earth Europe campaigns for sustainable and fair societies and for the protection of the environment,
unites more than 30 national organisations with thousands of local groups
and is part of the world's largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth International.
