Annual Report 2001 UBA Annual Report 2001

UBA Annual Report 2001 UBA Annual Report 2001 AnnualAnnual Report Report 20012001 1 UBA Annual Report 2001 UBA Annual Report 2001 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Published by: Umweltbundesamt (UBA) Federal Environmental Agency P. O. Box 33 00 22, 14191 Berlin, Germany Telephone: +49-30/89 03-0 Facsimile: +49-30/89 03-2285 Internet: www.umweltbundesamt.de Editorial team: Karsten Klenner Thomas Hagbeck Werner Hoffelner (English edition) At the end of each report, the unit responsible at the Federal Environmental Acency is noted in brackets. Translated by: Goldin, Dalton & Wittgrebe, Berlin Designed and printed by: KOMAG GmbH, Berlin 2 UBA Annual Report 2001 UBA Annual Report 2001 Contents Contents ContentsContents Page Foreword 4 Portrait: The Federal Environmental Agency – Diversity and Quality 6 Part 1 This year’s key topics 11 1. Towards sustainability: scenarios, aims and local activities 12 2. Sustainability and environmental communication 21 3. Substances and flows of goods: genetic engineering 26 4. Inseparable: environmental protection also means nature conservation 30 5. Climate protection and sustainable energy use 35 6. Environment and health – two sides of the same coin 43 7. A more solid foundation for soil protection 52 8. A fluid transition: new water policy in Germany 59 9. Product-related environmental protection 65 10. All-inclusive: integrated environmental protection in industrial plants 72 11. Plant safety and accident prevention 78 12.New impetus to the safety of chemicals 83 Part 2Project results, data and news 89 Division I: Environmental planning and environmental strategies 90 Division II: Environment and Health: Water, Soil and Air Hygiene, Ecology 109 Division III: Environmentally compatible technologies – procedures and products 145 Division IV: Safety of Chemicals and Gene Technology 167 Central Administrative Division 176 New building in Dessau 181 President’s Office/Press Office 182 3 UBA Annual Report 2001 UBA Annual Report 2001 Foreword Foreword ForewordForeword There is often talk that environmental protection is no longer an issue of public debate. I believe that this is exaggerated. Unemployment or domestic security may certainly be more topical than environmental protection. However, debates on future energy and agricultural policy, ecological tax reform, genetic engineering, mandatory deposits on bottles, the HGV toll and sustainable development show that environmental protection is still an important aspect of public debate. Once again in 2001, the Federal Environ- mental Agency in its capacity as the scientific environmental authority in the Federal Ministry for the En- vironment has contributed a host of topics to expert and public discussion. This does not mean that we took an isolated approach to environmental protection. This issue is linked to consumer protection and the protection of human health. Strict separation of these areas is seldom possible. The Federal Environ- mental Agency, for example, together with motorists and environmental groups advocated the introduction of particle filters for cars in order to eliminate minute, harmful soot particles from Diesel exhaust emissions. why the Federal government is determined to reduce We are pleased to report that a much-neglected area the additional daily land use to 30 hectares. This task of environmental policy became the subject of greater requires considerable patience because we must public attention in 2001, i.e. soil protection and, fundamentally re-think our planning policy and create above all, land use. Every day, around 130 hectares incentives to consume less land. of land is additionally taken up and used in Germany for transport and settlement. Although there is no rea- It is not surprising that the Federal Environmental son to fear that Germany will sink in concrete, these Agency once again in 2001 invested considerable ef- areas which serve as a natural habitat for man, ani- forts in all aspects of “climate and energy policy”. mals and plants are lost – often for all time. This is The already apparent climate change is an enormous 4 UBA Annual Report 2001 UBA Annual Report 2001 Foreword Foreword challenge for national and international policy. Energy istrations have been set: Fewer employees, less policy is the key to climate protection because the money and ever-growing tasks. There is no doubt that majority of climate-damaging emissions are gener- the Federal administration needs to be modernized ated when we produce and use energy. This means as decided by the Federal government in its “Modern answering one particular question: Which type of en- state – modern administration” programme. The ergy are we to use where and to what extent, so that Federal Environmental Agency has been implement- we can avoid permanent climate damage? One re- ing modernization measures for some time now. sponse to this question is that we are promoting the Apart from the environmental management system, expansion of renewable energy sources, such as these measures also include cost and performance wind, biomass, solar and geothermal energy which accounting as well as elements of solid personnel de- have no negative repercussions on climate. But this velopment. This helps to boost motivation, to reduce also means that we must attempt to save energy and costs and to effectively work with the staff available. use it rationally whenever possible. This means tough challenges for staff throughout the Federal administration. We are determined to run the Finally, a few words on our own behalf: The Federal Federal Environmental Agency in a sustainable man- Environmental Agency is the first Federal authority to ner in order to meet with the growing requirements of take part in the EU eco-audit programme. TÜV Nord the future. Finally, our aim is to ensure that environ- confirmed that the Federal Environmental Agency mental protection remains a focus of public atten- employs a functional environmental management tion, becoming a natural part of everyday life. system pursuant to the EU Environmental Audit Sys- tem (EMAS) and the ISO 14001 standard for its I hope you have a good read. headquarters at Berlin’s Bismarckplatz. We are proud to bear the EMAS logo. We were amazed to discover that even more environmental protection was possible in many areas at the Federal Environmental Agency. We are further perfecting our environmental management efforts and are determined to introduce this system at the agency’s other offices. Environmental management at the Federal Environ- mental Agency is one element of the agency’s mod- Prof. Dr. Andreas Troge ernization. The general conditions for Federal admin- President 5 UBA Annual Report 2001 UBA Annual Report 2001 Portrait Portrait PoPortrait:rtrait: The The Federal Federal Environmental Environmental AgencyAgency – –Diversity Diversity and and Quality Quality Overview management and with regard to health issues in environmental protection. This applies in partic- •Start of construction for future ular to the preparation of legal and administra- headquarters tive regulations. • Who we are – what we do •Performing research and developing foundations • Modernization at the Federal for suitable measures and testing and examining Environmental Agency methods and equipment. •Environmental management •Setting up and managing an information system at the Bismarckplatz headquarters for environmental planning as well as a central • Gender mainstreaming environmental archive; measuring large-scale air pollution; informing the public on environmental issues. •Providing central services and assistance for de- Start of construction partmental research and co-ordination of envi- for future headquarters ronmental research by the Federal Government and supporting the Federal Government when it After the agency opened its offices at the historical comes to examining the environmental compati- Wörlitz railway station in Dessau in October 2000, the bility of measures. relocation of the Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) to the Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt entered a new In order to fulfil these tasks, the UBA also carries out stage: The planning phase for the construction of the its own scientific research. The Agency is also re- new headquarters is largely completed. sponsible for a further series of functions (see box on page 7). Preparations for the new building in Dessau’s “Gasviertel” district started in spring. The engine In order to meet with its international obligations, the shed was dismantled stone by stone and will be Agency is represented in 339 committees; 70 in the rebuilt at another location. The post shed was pulled United Nations (UN), 27 in the Organization for Eco- down. First construction contracts were signed. nomic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Construction work is set to commence in spring 118 in the European Union (EU). 2002. The foundation stone will be laid on 10 April 2002 (refer to page 183 for details). The UBA depends on a variety of contacts in order to (AS DE/Z 1.5) perform its tasks. This wide range covers scientific in- stitutions and organizations, memberships in a host of committees, as well as meetings with other public Who we are – what we do agencies and associations (such as industry and environmental associations). Exchanging experience The Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) was set up with members of parliament is just as much part of by law on 22 July 1974 as an independent supreme our work as joint research initiatives with other re- Federal authority with headquarters

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