January 16th, 2026
European Commission acknowledges risks of lithium in the Rhine
The European Commission acknowledges that lithium pollution poses a risk to European rivers, including the Rhine. This is evident from its response to a letter from RIWA-Rijn, which called for the establishment of a European environmental quality standard for lithium in surface waters.
The Commission stresses the importance of cross-border cooperation and points out that, in the absence of a European standard, Member States must set national standards and incorporate them into discharge permits. RIWA-Rijn emphasizes that swift action is needed to protect drinking water sources and ecosystems and calls on the Rhine riparian states to jointly establish an environmental quality standard for lithium for the entire Rhine.