Publications

The last years, calls surged for a transformation research, which addresses the increasing global envi-ronmental and social challenges and supports transformations towards sustainability.

This report summarizes the contents and outcomes of the Scientific Stakeholder Meeting on Nanomaterials in the Environment which took place on the 10th and 11th October 2017 at the headquarters of the German Environment Agency (UBA) in Dessau-Rosslau, Germany.

Establishing a quality assurance system for compost and digestate from bio-waste can help to decrease the amount of biodegradable waste being landfilled and to increase material recycling.

More than 43,000 biocidal products were registered on the German market alone at the beginning of 2017, including disinfectants, preservatives, pest control and anti-fouling products. All biocides act as intended on living organisms and can enter the environment.

Which factors are relevant for environmental decisions? How can people be motivated to act in an environmentally responsible manner and how can environmentally harmful routines be broken down? This publication provides answers to these questions and uses the latest findings from psychology, cognitive science and behavioral economics.

With this project the International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3) and the corre-sponding International Sustainable Chemistry Network (ISCnet) for experts and stakeholders were established at a conference in May 2017. Objectives, tasks and a concept of the centre were developed in cooperation with international experts.

For an adequate and valid interpretation of data regarding the environmental fate and behavior of nanomaterials it is essential to describe parameters like dissolution (rate), dispersibility and dispersion stability.

In May 2013 the chemical hexabromocyclododecane, or HBCD, was identified as a persistent organic pollutant (POP) under the international Stockholm Convention. This means that a worldwide ban on the sale and application of the chemical will soon become effective. For a long time HBCD was the most economically significant flame retardant used in polystyrene foam for insulation materials.

Many smaller and medium-sized companies, like larger companies, are already engaging with social responsibility in their business practices. At the same time, they are being asked to live up to their social reponsibilities when it comes to their supply chains and are motivated to do so, as supply chains are the origin of a large share of environmental impacts.

Protecting the sources of our drinking water from any threats caused by chemicals is of the utmost importance. A strategy is needed in order to allow Europe’s chemical industry to continue to innovate while ensuring the protection of the water cycle.

Based on the variety of existing nanomaterials with numerous modifications, the effort of investigating environmental fate and effects will be tremendous.

Transport is not only an indispensable part of our daily lives, but also one of the major sources of greenhouse gases in Germany. What can be done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport in the short- and mid-term? How can transport become greenhouse gas-neutral in the long term? Are Germany’s climate targets in the transport sector sufficiently ambitious?