Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Climate | Energy

The Innovation Fund: how can it support low-carbon industry in Europe?

Design recommendations for the successor instrument to the NER 300 in Phase 4 of the EU ETS

This report analyses a range of options for designing the EU Innovation Fund (IF), a financing instrument created under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to support technological breakthrough for low-carbon innovations in the power sector and industry. The report combines a look at lessons learned from the IF’s predecessor mechanism “NER 300” with insights from the respective emission reductio...read more

Chemicals

Assessment of persistence, mobility and toxicity (PMT) of 167 REACH registered substances

For the first time a comprehensive list of 167 ⁠REACH⁠ registered substances were assessed with respect to their intrinsic substance properties persistence in the aquatic environment, mobility in the aquatic environment and toxicity. The results of this project will support the ongoing discussion to define PMT criteria under REACH. The present study provides a consolidated list of (i...read more

Waste | Resources

Roadmap for Healthy Buildings – 1st step: Harmonisation of Health Criteria for Construction Products

Discussion Report

A harmonised documentation of emission test results of construction products is needed for the declarations of performance under the EU Construction Products Regulation. In the discussions regarding the level of information details to be provided it has been difficult to find consensus due to the conflicting interests of the various parties concerned. In the view of the German authorities a high l...read more

Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Transformation research

Exploring methods for an emerging research field

The last years, calls surged for a transformation research, which addresses the increasing global envi-ronmental and social challenges and supports transformations towards sustainability. As transfor-mation research developed rapidly in relation to various societal domains and established research strands, there is currently a need for self-reflection with regard to empirical and theoretical conce...read more

Chemicals

Scientific Stakeholder Meeting on Nanomaterials in the Environment

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. The meeting focused on regulatory relevant results of German and European research projects on nanomaterials in the environment which are c...read more

Waste | Resources

Quality assurance of compost and digestate

Experiences from 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. Germany has been successfully operating such a system since 1989, comprising also an organisation with the competence to control the quality of compost and digestate and to award a quality label, the Bundesgüteg...read more

Chemicals

Are biocide emissions into the environment already at alarming levels?

Recommendations of the German Environment Agency (UBA) for an approach to study the impact of biocides on the environment

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. Although some biocides have already been found in relevant environmental concentrations, they are still insufficiently considered in mon...read more