Pharmaceutical residues in water, and the Netherlands "chain approach" to tackle them

1. Pharmaceutical
residues in water
and the Netherlands “chain
approach” to tackle them
Marc de Rooy
Dep. HoU Water Quality & Quantity
5 February 2018

2. Drivers for action
• Water quality (ecological effects of pharmaceutical residues)
• Production of safe drinking water
2

3. Wicked problem
• Not easy to define
• Scientific uncertainties
• Many stakeholders
– Different values
– Different interests
• Institutional complexity
• No clear-cut solutions!
=> multi-stakeholder approach
3 5 February 2018Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management

4. 4 6 February 2018Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management

5. Rules of the game:
1. Patients must keep access to the medicines they need; medicines
shall not be banned.
2. All actions have a pragmatic approach and are aimed at solving
problems; measures for the sake of appearances will be avoided.
3. All stakeholders act where they can, within acceptable costs.
4. Stakeholders don’t wait for other stakeholders to take the first step.
5 5 February 2018Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management

6. 6 6 February 2018Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management

7. 7 6 February 2018Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management

8. 8 6 February 2018Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management

9. Polluter pays principle; who is the polluter?
• Patient (excretes the residues)
• Chemist (delivers the medicines)
• Doctor (prescribes the medicines)
• Autorising authority (grants access to the market)
• Pharmaceutical companies (produces the substances)
9 5 February 2018Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management

10. 10 6 February 2018Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management

11. Thank you for your attention!
11 5 February 2018Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management
marc.de.rooy@minienm.nl
@marcderooy