Qualitative assessment of the effectiveness of the Mediterranean action plan: wastewater management in the Mediterranean region

Abstract

Land-based pollutants, primarily arising from sewage disposal, constitute the greatest threat to the Mediterranean marine environment and to public health. The adoption of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) (1975), Barcelona Convention (1976) and its related protocols was the first response of the Mediterranean coastal states to this problem. At present most of the Mediterranean countries dispose of their wastewater directly into the Mediterranean sometimes treated, though more often than not untreated. Due to freshwater shortages an increasing number of Mediterranean countries are reusing wastewater for irrigation. As the system currently operates, it is apparent that action proposed regarding land-based pollutants has not achieved the objectives outlined in the Barcelona Convention, bringing into question the effectiveness of the implementation process of the land-based sources (LBS) protocol. Accordingly, the main objective of this analysis is to assess the effectiveness of the MAP, in particular the LBS protocol in the context of wastewater management in the Mediterranean countries. A brief description of the MAP and its legal, scientific, and socio-economic components is presented. The current state of wastewater management in the Mediterranean countries is described in relation to wastewater reuse in agriculture and its implications. The effectiveness of the MAP to combat pollution from wastewater mismanagement is examined with recommendations and measures to address the problem.