Germany is a good place to bathe. This is confirmed by the EU Commission's report on the quality of European bathing waters, presented on 9 June 2023. According to the report, over 96 percent of the officially designated bathing water sites on lakes, rivers and coasts in Germany were rated "excellent" or "good". A total of 98 percent of all bathing water sites met the minimum requirements. read more
German bathing water quality remains at a high level
Marine Litter Round Table active against plastic pollution in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea for seven years
For seven years, the Marine Litter Round Table has been developing recommendations for actions against plastic pollution in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. The contributors are meeting in Berlin with patrons, Federal Minister for the Environment Steffi Lemke, Minister for Environment of Lower Saxony Christian Meyer and UBA President Dirk Messner to present results. read more
Scrubber discharge bans would protect oceans
The German Environment Agency has commissioned a project to study the effects of discharge water from exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers) of ships on the marine environment. Scrubber discharge contains pollutants such as heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are classified as extremely hazardous. Discharge bans - at least regional - are recommended. read more
Only ten percent of Germany’s water ecologically intact, despite progress made
Currently, only slightly less than ten percent of rivers, lakes and coastal waters are in good ecological condition. Although this is a slight improvement over 2015, Germany still faces major challenges. According to the EU Water Framework Directive, water bodies should be "good" in terms of chemistry, ecology and – in the case of groundwater – also in terms of available quantity by 2027. read more
Oder fish die-off: Salt discharges caused mass proliferation of toxic alga
According to the German expert group report published on September 30, 2022, the most probable cause of the fish die-off in the River Oder is the rapid rise in salinity, which together with other factors led to the mass proliferation of a brackish water alga that is poisonous to fish. read more
Germany hands over HELCOM chairmanship to Latvia
Latvia will assume the two-year rotational chairmanship of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) on 1 July 2022. Germany’s Chair focused on biodiversity and climate, sought solutions for unexploded ordnance and underwater noise and extended measures to combat pollution of the Baltic Sea through eutrophication, hazardous substances and marine litter. read more
New measures to protect natural groundwater against trace substances
The residues of pharmaceutical drugs, plant protection products, biocides and other chemicals can have a negative impact on water bodies and drinking water quality, even in low concentrations. As part of the Federal Government's Trace Substance Strategy, interest groups are currently developing voluntary measures at roundtables to reduce the burden on the environment. read more
Groundwater is named water body type 2022
World Water Day 2022: Some 70 percent of drinking water in Germany is extracted from groundwater and spring water. Our ecosystems and forests in particular depend on a sufficient amount of groundwater. Contamination by nitrate or pesticides, climate change and water abstraction are endangering the quality and quantity of this vital resource. read more