OBJECTIVES

KNAPPE aims to identify the relevant priority actions to be taken in order to reduce presence, impacts and risk of Pharmaceutical Products in environmental waters. Regulatory approaches and prevention action will be also implemented.

This project, on a one hand, will deal with occurrence, fate, behaviour, removal treatments, known environmental and health impacts of these molecules, stewardship approaches, and, on a other hand, will involve the different actors of PPs life cycle (from the manufacture to the water purification and distribution). It will also participate to the definition of new practices against the discharge of pharmaceutical products into the aquatic environment and will draw populations (both scientist and non scientist) attention to this emerging problem owing to big effort in the communication and dissemination.

The KNAPPE project proposes to carry out a review of the state of knowledge and put emphasis on questions deserving attention by pulling together results of previous and on going EU projects and published data from both governmental sources and scientific literature, by involving manufacturers in supplying data on production and use of pharmaceuticals. These topics of concerns include occurrence, detection, fate, behaviour, removal treatments, known environmental and health impacts of these molecules and stewardship approaches. On the basis of these data, the final objective of the project is to identify the relevant priority actions to be taken in the framework of a sustainable development more particularly in terms of lowering presence, impacts and risk of PPs in the environment.

In order to achieve these overall objectives, the KNAPPE project will pursue the following aims:

1 - KNAPPE will help to establish a potential "traceability" of PPs in the aquatic environment and elaborate indicators supporting water managers, health authorities and persons involved in river basin management plans and strategies to minimize discharge of PPs in the environment,

2 - KNAPPE will investigate the elimination efficiency of treatment processes (sewage treatment, drinking water production, specific industrial processes). The project will suggest different strategies for PPs treatment with identification of necessary enhanced for future requirements (suggestions for treatment at the source, or restrictions of use) and assessment of cost effective adaptations (or modification) to current treatment plants,

3 - KNAPPE will present an overview of the eco-toxicological significance and health impacts of PPs and identify needs for developing complementary data/approaches to prioritise PPs (chemical by chemical, class by class or mode of action basis),

4 - KNAPPE will assess regulatory approaches at European level and existing legislation and instrument on the discharge of PPs and carry out a gap assessment. KNAPPE will develop cornerstones for supporting the aims of WFD by highlighting opportunities arising from various instruments and measures for a European prevention action,

5 - KNAPPE will propose recommendations for environmental stewardship (pollution prevention and monitoring) integrating green technology and vigilance scheme and develop a document dedicated to all stakeholders,

6 - KNAPPE will hold four stakeholders workshops involving regulators, scientists, doctors, industry ... in which discussions and exchange will take place. Workshops will be animated by both scientists and stakeholders (industrials, policy makers...) and will address the following issues relating to PPs:

  •  Occurrence of PPs in the environment: PPs owe their origins to their universal, frequent and highly dispersed but cumulative usage by lots of individuals. What are the full extent, magnitude and ramifications of their presence in the aquatic environment?
  • Toxicological significance of PPs: On the basis of present knowledge, are available data sufficient for assessing fate and effects of PPs in the environment and health impacts? What are the potential for subtle long term effects (effect on growth, ability to reproduce), the risks of mixtures (additive/interactive/cumulative exposures and effects)?
  • Regulatory instrument design to limit pollution from PPs: This workshop will discuss preliminary results on proposition of future instrument and measures that will limit discharges of PPs
  • Environmental stewardship of PPs: This workshop will explore ways in which the impact of a PP on the environment can be reduced at all stages of the PPs life cycle (production, prescription, use and disposal). The workshop will also explore approaches to monitor the potential impact of a PP on the environment post-authorisation.

7 - KNAPPE will organise at mid-project an international conference (1.5 - 2 days) on "Trends toward lowering of occurrence and impact of PPs" that aims to identify and expose future trends allowing limiting the amount of PPs. Proceedings of the conference will be published. Workshop on occurrence of PPs in the environment and on Toxicological significance of PPs will be organised at the same time and at a same place than this international

8 - KNAPPE will disseminate its recommendations and main findings throughout Europe, notably by making them available to the public on a web site and by publishing them in scientific journals as well as by giving presentations to the scientific community and decision makers. A range of stakeholders, including representatives from the pharmaceutical industry and regulators will be involved in the overall co-ordination of the project (via the Executive Committee) and in workshops and consultation exercises that are performed during the project. This will not only act as a mechanism for communicating the results to a wider community but will also enable us to access up-to-date knowledge.

The final conference will be an important part of this action and will present the main recommendations proposed to the community by highlighting the central importance of the individual (user, consumer, prescribing/professional communities) to reduce the potential for environmental impact.

A CD Rom compiling all the results will be generated and distributed the most widely as possible.



 
LIST OF EVENTS

KNAPPE project will propose several events as illustrated in the following figure