A stakeholder dialogue on voluntary and manufacturer-responsible measures for mitigating micropollutants in water bodies is currently underway at the German Centre for Micropollutants as part of a research project. read more
The German Centre for Micropollutants
© Janek Kubelt / UBA
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Scientific Opinion Paper: Proposal for the Amendment of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive
On 26 October 2022, the EU Commission published the proposal for the amendment of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). In April 2023, the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt, UBA) took a position on this in its Scientific Opinion Paper "Moving forward: The European Commission's Proposal for a Recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive".
Moving forward: The European Commission’s Proposal for a Recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive
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New relevant Micropollutants
On 27 and 28 June 2023, the committee for the identification of relevant micropollutants approved the relevance classifications of melamine (large tonnage industrial chemical), diphenylguanidine (vulcanisation accelerator in tyres) and the antihypertensive pharmaceuticals sartans. The brief dossiers will be published shortly.
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Success for the "Round Table 1H-Benzotriazole": Stiftung Warentest evaluates the use of benzotriazole in dishwasher detergents
In the latest issue (test 8/2023) of the German consumer's magazine Stiftung Warentest, a new criterion was included in the evaluation of dishwasher tabs under the category "water pollution": The use of triazoles and thus also of the trace substance 1H-benzotriazole, which is classified as relevant, leads to a downgrading in the quality rating. Thus, dishwasher tabs containing the trace substance 1 H-benzotriazole as a silver protection agent can at best achieve an overall rating of "satisfactory" (grade 3.0). At the same time, the report shows that the use of 1-H benzotriazole is not necessary for good performance in material protection. The new approach of Stiftung Warentest is a positive incentive for manufacturers to adapt their formulations and thus reduce water pollution.
Round Table 1H-Benzotriazole test 8/2023 | Dishwasher tabs (in German)
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Publications of the German Environment Agency
Measures to reduce micropollutant emissions to water - Summary Maßnahmen zur Verminderung des Eintrages von Mikroschadstoffen in die Gewässer – Phase 2 Arzneimittelabgabe – Inpflichtnahme des Arz-neimittelsektors für Maßnahmen zur Reduktion von Mikroschadstoffen in Gewässern Recommendations for reducing micropollutants in waters 5-point programme for sustainable plant protection
