In Germany, for example, the Effluent Charges Act (Abwasserabgabengesetz, AbwAG) serves to implement the polluter pays principle. Corresponding to the Act, dischargers of wastewater must bear at least a portion of the cost of using the environmental resource water by paying for the point source discharge of (treated) wastewater into a water body. Generally, the payment of effluent charges in no way exempts one from the responsibility of treating wastewater. The charge is calculated according to the amount and harmfulness of the discharged substances, measured in pollution units (Schadeinheiten SE) and is intended to create financial incentives for reducing waste water emissions as far as possible. The effluent charge is paid to the states and these funds are tied to measures for conserving water bodies. The charge per pollutant unit per year has been raised, in several steps, from DM 12 (ca. EUR 6) in 1981 to DM 70 (ca. EUR 35) since January 1, 1997. The table below gives an overview on how pollution units are calculated.

* “One SE corresponds roughly to the harm caused by the raw waste water produced by one inhabitant in one year (inhabitant equivalence).“

Table 1: Contaminants and pollution units (Schadeinheit, SE)* according to the Effluent Charges Act (AbWAG)