Resource consumption is essential to our existence. Global population and economic growth are increasing the pressure on natural resources such as raw materials, land and biodiversity. The German Environment Agency pursues the key aim to reduce resource consumption and the associated environmental impact overall and along the entire value-adding chain. The avoidance of waste and the use of residual and waste materials as secondary raw materials and the energy recovery of waste can also make a meaningful contribution to resource conservation, as can resource-efficient production processes, products and utilisation concepts.
A large amount of petroleum- and coal-based chemicals is used as intermediates. A research project recently launched by UBA is intended to clarify, whether intermediate product applications result in the transfer of constituents of concern in the value chain or their release into the environment.
New record high in packaging waste: 18.7 million tonnes accrued.
UBA study examines environmental aspects of recycling old wind-powered installations.
Federal states must step up imposing fines and producers must avoid more packaging.
200 international experts meeting in Berlin.
Only beer is sold mostly in reusable bottles.
Efficiency increase oftentimes reduces product or service costs, which can in turn ramp up consumption (due to reduced prices), thus partly canceling out the original savings. This is known as the rebound effect.
More than 800.000 tonnes of refrigerators, dish washers and other appliances were collected in 2017.
From 12 June to 16 July interested citizens can submit their ideas and suggestions for the German federal government's resource conservation policy. Their proposals will be taken into account in the update of the German Resource Efficiency Programme ("ProgRess") .
New UBA study: Numbers, background information, research needs, and measures to combat the plastic flood.
The FairCup start-up is the first company to be awarded the Blue Angel ecolabel for its reusable cup system. FairCup started out as a student project at a vocational training school in Göttingen. The company is now represented all over Germany. The aim of the Blue Angel for resource-saving reusable cup systems (DE-UZ 210) is to reduce the number of disposable cups that are used.
German consumers use 2.8 billion disposable cups per year for hot beverages, an equivalent of 34 cups per person.
