Consumer

How can private individuals help protect the environment? How can they save energy and thus protect the climate and save money too? How can consumers safeguard their health by avoiding products containing toxic substances? We offer useful information and advice on these and myriad other questions of this type, via amenities such as our online consumer advice service Umwelttipps für den Alltag and free brochures.

Press release on Air

Germany complied with air quality limit values nearly everywhere in 2022

Stau

Germany recorded no exceedances of particulate matter threshold values in 2022 for the fifth consecutive year. Current data shows that the annual mean limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) of 40 µg/m³ was exceeded at only two roadside measuring stations in Munich and Essen. These are the results of a preliminary evaluation of data collected by the federal states and the German Environment Agency. read more

Press release on Waste | Resources

Companies soon to assume costs for disposal of single-use plastic products

Whether coffee-to-go cups or cigarette butts, too much single-use plastic is landing on our streets and in parks. Cities and municipalities in particular incur costs of up to 434 million euros per year for collection and cleaning, says a study by the German Environment Agency (UBA). New EU regulation states that the manufacturers of single-use products will have to bear these costs. read more

The Umweltbundesamt

For our environment