It aims "to protect the environment from adverse effects of waste water discharges from cities and "certain industrial sectors".

[3] It aims "to protect the environment from the adverse effects of urban waste water discharges and discharges from certain industrial sectors" by mandating waste water collection and treatment in urban agglomerations with a population equivalent of over 2000, and more advanced treatment in places with a population equivalent above 10,000 in sensitive areas.

Continuing implementation of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directives plans to lower the EU's contribution to global microplastics discharge into the oceans.

[9] In 2020 the Commission published its latest implementation report that covers over 23,600 agglomerations where people (and to a limited extent industry) generate wastewater.

[10] As the UWWTD will soon be revised in light of meeting the goals of the European Green Deal, this report carries out an evaluation of the directive.

[13] On 13 July 2018, the European Commission published a Consultation on the Evaluation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive ahead of a potential revision.

Since its adoption in 1991, new technical advances on treatment techniques for waste and emerging pollutants have been identified that might require removal.

However, the biggest challenge of the revision will be to exploit the potential the wastewater treatment sector can contribute to the circular economy agenda and the fight against climate change.

These features have been mainly overlooked due to the over-riding objective for utilities to meet existing and future needs for wastewater treatment.