Press | Umweltbundesamt

The establishment of a "Resources Commission at the Federal Environment Agency" (KRU) is aimed at the support of resource conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources. Members of the Commission elected Prof. Dr. Christa Liedtke of the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy as Chairwoman of the KRU. "The conservation of natural resources is a pressing task. Their consu... read more

What has soil got to do with my favourite pizza? Where did the soil come from that we stand on today, on which we build our homes, which collects rainwater and supplies us our food? Is every type of soil able to do this? How much soil do we need to live? The answers to these and many other questions can be answered by clicking here: www.bodenwelten.de. Jochen Flasbarth, President of the Federal En... read more

With a few exceptions, sales of “green” products are on the steady rise says a new study for the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) about the market development of environmentally relevant products. Sales of environmentally friendly white goods in particular are becoming more and more significant. About one half of all freezer units on the market are high energy efficiency. Energy-efficient washing... read more

The REACH Candidate List now has 144 Substances of Very High Concern. Acting on an initiative by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) Germany proposed the inclusion of seven chemicals as Substances of Very High Concern. One of them is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is often found in all-weather clothing and has long been considered harmful to the environment. Says Jochen Flasbarth, President... read more

There are more possibilities for onshore wind energy in Germany than has been previously assumed. According to assumptions made in a new study by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and using state-of-the-art turbines, up to 13.8 per cent of the land surface in Germany could be used for wind energy generation - without causing significant harm to sensitive protected areas or compromising noise pr... read more

The Blue Angel ecolabel has guided consumers in choosing environmentally friendly products for 35 years. The Federal Ministry for the Environment, the Federal Environment Agency and the Environmental Label Jury are using the occasion of the anniversary to launch a campaign supported by the music producer Annette Humpe, radio host Jacqueline Roussety and actor Thomas Arnold. All three have been fea... read more

A worldwide ban on the production and use of the flame retardant HBCD will be introduced soon. The resolution was adopted at a UN chemicals conference in Geneva. The chemical is to be added to the list of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) under the Stockholm Convention. HBCD stands for Hexabromocyclododecane. Up to now it has been used mainly in insulating wall panels and in future certain uses... read more

Food constitutes an important exposure path of the plasticiser DEHP. The substance, which makes plastics flexible, has been found in the environment and in human urine. This is undesirable as the substance has a damaging effect on the reproductive organs which can impair the fertility and development of unborn children. DEHP may not be used in toys or cosmetics for this reason. Overall, the quanti... read more