Position papers
In September 2023, the GDCh published a statement on its website regarding ECHA’s proposal to restrict PFAS, which it had submitted during the public consultation conducted by ECHA at that time. Not all GDCh members agreed with the content of this statement; there was particularly strong criticism from the Division of Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology. For this reason, the Board of the Division set down the points that, in its view, had been neglected in the original statement. Many aspects raised by Division members in their critical feedback were incorporated. These additions are supported by the Young Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology group, our Division representative in the EuChemS Division on Chemistry and the Environment, the Boards of the Divisions Chemists in Civil Service and Society of Water Chemistry, and the JCF (YoungChemistryForum) Federal Board. The GDCh has documented all critical feedback on this topic on this page . Full text. Full text
Fish deaths (caused by the acute influx of pollutants, e.g. as a direct after-effect of the Sandoz accident on the Rhine), mountains of foam on rivers (caused by the use of biologically difficult-to-degrade surfactants), and dead patches of forest (caused by acid rain and remobilised heavy metals): in the past, environmental problems were obvious to everyone. Today’s problems with chemicals often present themselves hidden from view; for example, it is not immediately apparent from bodies of water when plant protection product or pharmaceutical residues are present, or when traces of foreign chemicals or nanomaterials are found in food. Full text (Mitt. Umweltchem. Ökotox. 2/2013)
An evaluation of an Online survey conducted by the SETAC-GLB professional association and the GDCh Division Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology, in which more than 70 scientists have participated since November 2010, showed that ecotoxicological and environmental chemistry applications are submitted to various divisions at the German Research Foundation, meaning that the DFG has no overview of the total number of applications from this field. In future, DFG applications relating to pollutant-related environmental sciences will therefore be given the label "Ecotoxicology / Environmental Chemistry", so that the DFG can clearly identify applications from this field. Full article (Environ. Sci. Europe)
The Environmental Monitoring Working Group proposes standards for the design and implementation of substance-based monitoring in a position paper. Full text
The environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology Division highlights in this position paper on the decision of the Council for Sustainable Development the growing importance and use of biomass as a renewable raw material for the chemical industry, which is also an important principle of "Green Chemistry". Full text
Future directions for pure and innovation-oriented fundamental research in the chemical sciences (Wolfram Koch, GDCh, Frankfurt; Mitt. Umweltchem. Ökotox.) Full text
Memorandum on the position of environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology in chemistry education. Full text