Position GDCh Division of Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology

Additions to the PFAS statement of the GDCh (2023)

In September 2023, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) published a statement on its website regarding the ECHA's PFAS restriction proposal, which it had submitted during the ECHA's public consultation at that time. Not all GDCh members agreed with the content of this statement; in particular, there was significant criticism from the Division of Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology . For this reason, the Board of the Division compiled a list of points that, in its view, had been neglected in the original statement. This list incorporates many aspects raised by division members in their critical feedback. These additions are supported by the Young environmental chemistry & Ecotoxicology group, our Divisions representative at the EuChemS Division on Chemistry and the Environment, the boards of the Divisions of Chemists in Civil Service and the Society of Water Chemistry , and the Federal Board of the JCF (Young Chemistry Forum). The GDCh has documented all critical feedback on this topic on this page. Full text.

Aims and tasks of the GDCh Division of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology (2013)

Fish kills (due to acute pollution, e.g., as a direct consequence of the Sandoz accident on the Rhine), foam on rivers (from the use of persistent surfactants), and dead forests (due to acid rain and remobilized heavy metals): environmental problems used to be obvious to everyone. Today's problems with chemicals often remain hidden; for example, it's not immediately apparent when pesticide or pharmaceutical residues are present in waterways, or when traces of foreign chemicals or nanomaterials are found in food. ( Full text: Mitt. Umweltchem. Ökotox. 2/2013)

Funding situation for pollutant-related environmental research (2011)

An Online survey conducted by the professional associations SETAC-GLB and the GDCh Division of Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology, in which over 70 scientists participated since November 2010, revealed that ecotoxicological and environmental chemistry grant applications to the German Research Foundation (DFG) are submitted to various departments, meaning the DFG lacks an overview of the total number of applications in this field. Therefore, in the future, DFG applications related to pollutant-related environmental sciences will be labeled "Ecotoxicology / environmental chemistry" to enable the DFG to clearly identify applications from this discipline. ( Full article: Environ. Sci. Europe)

Position paper on substance-related environmental monitoring (2007)

In a position paper, the Working Group Environmental Monitoring proposes standards for the design and implementation of substance-related monitoring. Full text

Position paper "Perspectives of coal in a sustainable energy economy" (2003)

In this position paper on the resolution of the German Council for Sustainable Development, the Division of Environmental Chemistry & Ecotoxicology points to the increasing importance and use of biomass as a renewable raw material for the chemical industry, which is also a key principle of "Green Chemistry". Full text

Developmental trends in the chemical sciences (2002)

Future development trends for pure and innovation-oriented basic research in the chemical sciences (Wolfram Koch, GDCh, Frankfurt; Mitt. Umweltchem. Ökotox.) Full text

The role of environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology in chemistry education (1998)

Memorandum on the role of environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology in chemistry education. Full text