Topics | Umweltbundesamt

Residues of human medicinal products for human use enter the environment primarily through wastewater. Pharmaceutical substances are highly biologically active and can have harmful effects on living organisms, particularly in aquatic environments. read more

To ensure the long-term protection of ecosystems such as water bodies and soils, and for preventive health protection, the entry of pharmaceuticals into the environment must be sustainably reduced throughout the entire lifecycle of medicinal products. read more

The assessment of the environmental impact of human and veterinary medicinal products has been an integral part of the authorisation process for many years. In Germany, this has been a legal requirement since 1998. The UBA is responsible for conducting the environmental risk assessment. read more

Nanotechnology deals with the production and application of processes and nanomaterials composed of structurally definable particles on a scale of 100 nanometres (1 nm = 10-9 m) or less in at least one dimension; in other words, more than 1,000 times smaller in diameter than a human hair. At this scale physical and chemical properties of materials change, and this change can be applied in a variet... read more