Topics | Umweltbundesamt

Laws and regulations concerning transfrontier shipment of waste are based on the Basel Convention. The EU has transposed the procedural rules of Basel Convetion into directly applicable European legislation taking into account OECD Council Decision C(92)39/ FINAL. read more

As late as the mid 1970s, hazardous waste has been disposed of illegally in Germany and abroad. This scandalous situation prompted a worldwide desire to ban or control transfrontier waste shipments. The ensuing lengthy political process resulted in a complex system of regulations at the national, European and international level. read more

The term “asbestos” means a family of naturally occurring fibrous minerals. In the past, asbestos was widely used in myriad products owing to its exceptional heat and chemical resistance, whereby white asbestos (chrysotil asbestos) and blue asbestos (crocidolie asbestos) were the types most commonly used. read more

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a worldwide problem. PCB, which is a POP, has not been used in Germany for years and only occurs in certain wastes. read more

The term “hazardous waste” refers to various types of waste with defined hazardous properties that are harmful for the environment and/or human health. Hazardous waste must be handled using special techniques and processes that ensure safe and environmentally sound disposal by elimination of the hazardous substances contained in the waste. read more

Around 25 to 30 percent of Germany’s hazardous waste is treated using physicochemical methods that either destroy the hazardous substances or convert them into non-hazardous substances, thus allowing them to be either recycled or disposed of. read more