Fighting micropollutants: Which strategies protect our waters?

Fighting micropollutants: Which strategies protect our waters?

The Federal Trace Substances Center (SZB) acts as a central platform in Germany for coordinating measures to reduce trace substances in water bodies. Its task is to prioritize relevant substances and derive environmental quality standards. Within this framework, the center organizes “round tables” that bring together experts from administration, science and industry.
Prof. Adolf Eisenträger, the head of the SZB, emphasizes the efficiency of the collaboration with the Baden-Württemberg Competence Center for Trace Substances (KomS). The KomS, an association of the University of Stuttgart, Biberach University and the DWA Baden-Württemberg regional association, is a network that has been connecting actors from various areas in Baden-Württemberg for over a decade. It is at the University of Stuttgart in the department of Prof. Dr. Patrick Braut settled.

The initiative aims to develop a coordinated approach to reducing trace substances in water. Prof. Braut emphasizes the need to put scientific findings into practice in order to achieve positive effects on the environment and the operators of wastewater treatment plants. Vera Kohlgrüber, the head of KomS, underlines the practical relevance of this cooperation.

Challenges posed by micropollutants

Trace substances that enter water bodies through various sources such as household wastewater, industrial plants and agricultural areas pose an increasing challenge. They are present in low concentrations, but can have harmful effects on aquatic ecosystems and drinking water production. It is therefore crucial to take the interactions between different trace substances into account.
The Federal Environment Agency (UBA) identifies several pathways through which micropollutants enter water bodies, including wastewater from sewage treatment plants and runoff from soil. The protection of water bodies and raw water for drinking water is the main goal of the SZB.

The SZB has several main tasks that it performs to fulfill its mission. This includes assessing the toxicological and ecotoxicological relevance of trace substances, coordinating the stakeholder dialogue and managing the office of the committee for assessing the relevance of trace substances. The committee is made up of up to 15 experts from different disciplines who work together to develop strategies to reduce the entry of relevant substances such as diclofenac and benzotriazole.

Strategies for reducing trace substances

A central approach of the SZB is to prevent micropollutants from entering the wastewater in the first place. This should be achieved by minimizing, replacing or avoiding problematic substances in their production and use. The exchange with actors from the water management, agricultural associations, industry and environmental organizations is actively promoted in order to exchange experiences and develop solutions.
According to UBA, comprehensive water protection requires combined measures that include both the production and use of chemicals as well as wastewater treatment. The expansion of sewage treatment plants to include a fourth purification stage is therefore being discussed as a potential measure. As various UBA publications show, the costs of reducing micropollutant inputs are high, but the need for effective protective measures is evident.

Overall, the close cooperation between the Trace Substances Center and the Competence Center for Trace Substances Baden-Württemberg shows that through coordinated efforts, both effective environmental protection and the protection of water resources in Germany are possible. Further information on the SZB's measures and goals is available on the Federal Environment Agency's website. For direct feedback and inquiries, the SZB offers the option of contacting us by email: urenstoffzentrum [at] uba [dot] de.