The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) has set the objective of good ecological and chemical status for all European waters by 2027 at the latest. However, exemptions from good status are allowed in cases where economic/social costs outweigh the benefits of water improvement (disproportionality). Eco-efficiency analysis (EEA) is usually applied to evaluate products and processes. The paper argues that EEA can also be used as a methodical approach to evaluate disproportionality of WFD measures. The approach is applied to a potash and magnesium mine discharging effluents into a German river basin (Werra/Weser). Here, the EEA relates water quality improvement to the economic costs of the measures ranking them according to their eco-efficiency. In doing so, EEA structures information on effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of WFD measures, and provides inputs to evaluate affordability and disproportionality of them.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.