Chemicals are among the most heavily regulated areas in environmental protection. There is nevertheless a continuing need for action: chronic harm to health caused by chemicals in indoor air, consumer goods or foodstuffs remain problematic issues. Plant protection products affect not only "harmful" organisms but also many beneficial ones as well. Biocides are detrimental to water bodies. Pharmaceutical residues in soils and water pose a risk to the organisms living there. The reproductive capacity of plants and animals is impacted by the hormonal effects of chemicals. Finally, individual chemicals do not affect the environment but rather as compounds, often with a cumulative effect. Although some progress has been made, there is still a long way to go on the road to sustainable chemistry.
The following reports are the result of the project “Advancing REACH”, which is funded within the research plan of the BMU. The project analyses various aspects of the REACH Regulation and its implementation and develops possible improvements, including possible amendments to the text of the Regulation and its annexes.
At an international conference on "Human Biomonitoring for science and chemical policy", Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze and UBA President Dirk Messner spoke out in favour of expanding human biomonitoring at European level. This involves examining population groups for their exposure to environmental pollutants and other sources.
Pesticides can cause damage to the environment. A project coordinated by the German Environment Agency for the European Environment Agency provides the first overview of pesticides in rivers. lakes and groundwater reported by EU Member States. The report confirms that additional measures are necessary to ensure compliance with environmental quality standards in waters.
Rat poison that is used in municipal sewer systems is a source of emissions to surface water where it bioaccumulates in fish liver. These are the findings of a new research project done on behalf of the German Environment Agency (UBA). The active substances used in baits are not degraded completely in wastewater treatment plants and are thus channelled to rivers.
The European chemicals regulation REACH is intended to contribute to a more sustainable chemistry. A current UBA report provides a systematic analysis on the relations between main elements of REACH (e.g. Registration or Information in the supply chain) and main elements of sustainable chemistry (e.g. substitution of hazardous substances or corporate social responsibility of companies).
The ERGO (EndocRine Guideline Optimisation) project aims to improve the identification and regulation of hormonally active substances (endocrine disruptors). It will be shown to what extent the effects of endocrine disruptors in mammals can be extrapolated to non-mammals and vice versa. The thyroid hormone system will be used as the basis for the investigations.
Children and adolescents between the ages of 3 and 17 in Germany have too many persistent chemicals from the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance group, or PFAS, in their blood. These are the findings of an evaluation of the representative German Environmental Survey for Children and Adolescents, GerES V.
The national authorities of Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Denmark agreed to prepare a REACH restriction proposal with the aim to restrict the manufacture, the placing on the market and the use of all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the EU. Companies, scientists and NGOs are invited to fill in the questionnaire, before 31 July 2020, to generate further information.
A research project by the German Environment Agency (UBA) tested 44 potential substitutes for bisphenol A (BPA) for a number of different applications and products. The result: 43 of these substances are not recommended for use, either because they have a hormone-mimicking effect or a lack of data has not conclusively disproved evidence of such an effect.
Higher administrative court review of rulings on pesticides needed urgently.
HBM4EU initiative presents assessment values for phthalates, cadmium and bisphenol A – more to follow
Landscape planning and pest control are among the many tasks which municipalities are charged with in their mandate to protect citizens and maintain infrastructure. It often requires the use of plant protection agents and biocides. A specialist conference hosted by the UBA showed that alternative methods are already making it possible to do without chemicals that are harmful to the environment.
