NonHazCity 3 is a European project under the framework of the EU Interreg Program for the Baltic Sea Region. The project aims to reduce hazardous substances in the construction sector and to support circular construction. A NonHazCity Building Award will be given to celebrate the most effective laws and policies for non-hazardous buildings – nominations are welcome! Deadline is the 15th June 2024. read more
Waste | Resources
One of the UBA’s main goals is to reduce resource use along with the environmental impact of such use as a whole and across the entire value chain. Against this backdrop, cutting back on waste and using it as a source of secondary raw materials and energy can make a significant contribution to resource conservation in the guise of resource friendly manufacturing processes, products and usage modalities.
Sparing and efficient use of natural resources is crucial not only from an ecological standpoint, but is also a major economic and social challenge. Hence resource conservation and resource policy constitute an inter-disciplinary field encompassing myriad strategies and stakeholders. This in turn means that we need to define a carefully constructed policy mix with just the right instruments for the tasks at hand. And this is where the UBA comes in. We devise concepts aimed at enshrining resource conservation in environmental policy along the entire value chain, beginning with raw material extraction, product design, the commercial and usage phases, and finally recycling and disposal. We also place great emphasis on informing and networking with the general public, business leaders and policymakers, and on the elaboration of ambitious objectives and the instruments needed to achieve them. Developing waste management, which is now primarily a disposal oriented activity, into a raw materials oriented recycling system is also taking on ever growing importance for us.
Waste prevention
Waste prevention conserves resources and protects people and the environment. It is therefore a primary goal of the circular economy. In 2013, the Waste Prevention Program with the participation of the federal states was adopted. It was drawn up with support of the German Environment Agency. The waste prevention program was reviewed in 2019 and updated in 2021. read more
Current recycling review: Successes, failures and challenges
Immer mehr Verpackungen sind hochgradig recyclingfähig, die gesetzlichen Recyclingziele werden von den dualen Systemen überwiegend erreicht. Im Jahr 2022 kam es aber auch zu gravierenden Verfehlungen der gesetzlichen Quotenvorgaben. Was es noch braucht, welche Herausforderungen bestehen und wie diese zu meistern sind, haben die ZSVR und das UBA auf einer Pressekonferenz in Berlin erläutert. read more
“Invisible” e-waste: Furniture, clothing or smart-home products can also be electrical appliances
All products that have a plug, a battery or a cable are usually electrical appliances and must be disposed of separately at the end of their life so that they can be recycled in an environmentally sound and high-quality manner. And because this is not always clear, the motto of this year's “E-Waste Day” points this out. read more
Climate protection through Circular Economy in Germany and the EU
For the EU27 and Germany, the climate protection potential of the circular economy was examined for municipal waste, industrial & commercial, construction & demolition and food waste for 2017 and 2030 using the life cycle assessment method. The study shows the sector's GHG mitigation potential, including food waste prevention, in the context of the EU legal framework and the energy transition. read more
CO2 storage must not hinder phase-out of fossil fuels
In a new position paper, the German Environment Agency (UBA) advises testing carbon capture and storage (CCS) in waste management. read more
OECD handbook reinforces environmental protection in raw material
The new OECD Handbook on Environmental Due Diligence in Mineral Supply Chains is a milestone for environmental protection in global value chains. For the first time, a clear description is given of how companies can identify, assess and prioritise environmental issues at the beginning of their global supply chains and take measures to prevent, mitigate or find solutions to arising problems. read more
Better recycling of boats
Sports boats and light aircraft as well as certain leisure equipment, such as bicycles, skis and musical instruments, contain fibre-reinforced composites (FRC). They are often durable, valuable and, as waste, ideally suited for preparation for reuse or recycling. However, structured processing is currently still considered uneconomical and therefore does not take place. read more