Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Waste | Resources

Tailings Management Facilities (TMF) Safety Methodology

The Tailings Management Facility (TMF) Safety Methodology is mainly based on the requirements and principles declared in “Safety guidelines and good practices for tailings management facilities” endorsed by the Conference of the Parties to the UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents as well as other comparable international TMF standards. The TMF Safety Methodology is...read more

Chemicals, Water

A prioritization framework for PMT/vPvM Substances under REACH for registrants, regulators, researchers and the water sector

PFAS only the tip of the iceberg: Each water sample was contaminated with mobile forever chemicals such as TFA, PFPrA or TFMS. But also 26 of the 34 non-fluorinated PMT/vPvM substances analysed were detected, including 1H benzotriazole, 1,4-dioxane, melamine, cyanuric acid and diphenyl guanidine. A representative survey of 27 water laboratories in Germany (twelve commercial laboratories, eleven la...read more

Chemicals, Water

Prioritised PMT/vPvM substances in the REACH registration database

Protecting the aquatic environment from chemicals for future generations: The UBA list of 259 PMT/vPvM substances (based on the new ⁠CLP⁠ criteria) in the ⁠REACH⁠ registration database that are hazardous to our drinking water resources and must not be emitted into the environment. Registrants and downstream users (DSUs) can act immediately to minimise emissions througho...read more

Chemicals, Water

PMT/vPvM assessment of REACH registered Substances Detected in Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent, Freshwater Resources and Drinking Water

A broad literature review (55 studies published between 2000 and 2019) now shows that 639 chemicals are already known as contaminants in river bank filtrate (114 substances), groundwater (338 substances), raw water (212 substances) or drinking water (385 substances). The literature review carried out by the German Environment Agency reveals: Every second substance that contaminates our drinking wa...read more

Chemicals, Water

REACH: Guidance and Methods for the Identification and Assessment of PMT/vPvM Substances

2nd Edition

Protection of drinking water resources from PMT/vPvM substances: Revised guidance for ⁠REACH⁠ registrants on the identification of these substances of very high concern (SVHC). Only 1.9 % of the unique chemical structures in the REACH registration database fall in the new ⁠CLP⁠ hazard classes PMT and vPvM. However, for a total of 64 % no final assessment was achieved, e...read more

Climate | Energy, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Short Typology of Carbon Dioxide Removals

How to best differentiate methods and technologies for establishing and enhancing carbon sinks?

On 30 November 2022, the Commission proposed a voluntary EU carbon removal certification framework (CRCF) in order to promote carbon dioxide removal (CDR) through natural and technical approaches and spur investments into the respective technologies.This paper analyzes CDR typologies, compares them to CDR in the CRCF and identifies room for improvements. The aim is to stimulate the public debate b...read more

Climate | Energy, Transport

National Energy and Climate Plans: Evidence of Policy Impacts and Options for more Transparency

A Meta Study assessing Evaluations of selected Policies reported in the Danish, French, German, Slovenian, and Swedish Plan

The meta study makes suggestions on content requirements, transparency and comprehensibility of NECP reporting and contributes to its further development. The authors analysed the German NECP and the NECPs of Denmark, France, Sweden and Slovenia. The focus was on the methodology of ex-ante and ex-post evaluations, the contributions of 23 PaMs to the achievement of the EU climate protection and ene...read more

Air

Particulate matter formation potential of gas-phase emissions over Germany

Particulate matter (PM) is the air pollutant that is responsible for the highest burden of disease in Germany and other European countries. Therefore, measures are needed to reduce its ambient concentrations. A large proportion of PM is not emitted directly: it is formed from gaseous precursors in the atmosphere. Hence, there is an urgent need to assess the contribution of gaseous emissions (NOX,...read more