Do NOT dispose of drugs via the toilet or sink to protect water bodies and drinking water. With proper disposal, pharmaceuticals are destroyed through waste incineration and no longer pose a threat to the environment. read more
Sustainability | Strategies | International matters
Environmentally conscious disposal of leftover drugs
Health
Environmentally conscious use of medicinal products
In matters of health, too, it is important to act in an environmentally conscious way. Patients can help prevent the negative environmental effects of pharmaceuticals. For example, disease prevention, considering non-medicinal treatments, and the responsible use of medicines all contribute to environmental protection. read more
Water
From Stakeholder Dialogue to German Centre for Micropollutants
In 2016, the Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMU) launched a stakeholder dialogue to develop the federal government’s Trace Substance Strategy. The goal was to reduce the input of micropollutants into water bodies. In order to consolidate the findings and the measures initiated, the German Centre for Micropollutants was founded at the German Environment Agency in 2021. read more
Soil | Land
Substances in the soil
Soil pollutants are ubiquitous. They stem from natural sources, factories, farming, transportation, and households. Deposits of such soil pollutants can seep into the groundwater or are uptaken by plants, they can pose an environmental and health risk. read more
