Press | Umweltbundesamt

Winter evenings in front of the fireplace are becoming more and more popular, yet fireplaces can also emit air pollutants that damage health. Users who follow some key rules and use only tested units can minimise health risks and do their bit for the environment, too. New laws aimed at reducing pollutant emissions from fireplaces and tiled stoves have been in force since March 2010. read more

Berlin, 06.10.2010 -Blue Angel Day will stage its premiere in Berlin today. The Federal Ministry for Environment, the Federal Environment Agency, and the Environmental Label Jury are providing information and talking about the Blue Angel of the future with more than 100 delegates from industry and commerce as well as environmental and consumer associations. UBA President Jochen Flasbarth and Jury... read more

Every German citizen produces an average eleven tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHG) a year, a figure that is far too high. Germany must  reduce its GHG emissions by 2020 by at least 80-95 percent over 1990 levels. This is only possible if climate-conscious consumers respond to rigorous climate policy standards with action. read more

Human biomonitoring (HBM) activities of the Federal Environment Ministry provide important data on chemical exposure of the public. At a conference of experts which took place in Berlin from 26 to 28 September, Federal Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen noted: "Human biomonitoring is an excellent early warning system to detect pollutants harmful to the public at an early stage. It gives us the o... read more

A study by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) has shown that large volumes of carbon dioxide can be saved in the waste water treatment industry. Energy efficiency measures and improved self-generated power can reduce carbon dioxide emissions from sewage treatment in Germany by up to 40 percent. “Modern environmental technology can help waste water treatment plants do their bit to protect the cli... read more

Does a pharmaceutical drug or cleaning product break down completely in sewage treatment? What are the environmental risks and side effects of the use of biocides and plant protection products? How can chemicals be developed, produced and applied in the most eco-friendly way possible? Although we all use chemical substances for the most diverse purposes daily, such questions rarely occur to most p... read more

Germany's National Meteorological Service, the Deutscher Wetterdienst, and the Federal Environment Agency believe the trend in weather records confirm the forecasts made by climate researchers. Extreme weather events with heavy precipitation or heat waves have increased tangibly in the past few decades, and it is likely that their occurrence and intensity will continue to rise. “The current floodi... read more

After findings of the latest technical tests the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) now recommends the use of carbon dioxide in mobile air conditioning systems. The refrigerant tetrafluoropropene, or HFO-1234yf, favoured by the automobile industry may well comply with the new EU guidelines, but it has greater global warming potential than the refrigerant CO2. read more