Prof. Dr. Dirk Bunke

MEG equivalents and the SVHC Score: assessment of problematic substances in software and digital services

November 2024

A wide range of chemicals are used in the manufacture and use of electronic devices. For most applications, alternatives for problematic substances are now available that have better properties. For the assessment of sustainability in the ICT sector, it is therefore important to know to what extent

Methodology for determining the environmental impact of software, cloud services and other digital services in distributed IT infrastructures

Life cycle assessment of digital services

October 2024

The methodology for assessing the environmental impact of digital services covers the environmental impact of manufacturing and operating hardware. It establishes the link between the use of basic digital resources (computing, memory, storage, transfer) by a software application and the resulting en

Final report

Advancing REACH - REACH and substitution

January 2021

Enhancing substitution of substances of concern with less hazardous alternatives will remain a key challenge for chemicals management in the coming years and is a central aim of REACH. This study analyses the support of substitution, which is the use of less hazardous alternatives for substances of

In the Spotlight

Sustainable chemicals: Minimising risks – maximising benefits

July 2019

Chemicals are found in many of the products and processes that we encounter in our daily lives. Fully in line with sustainable development principles, chemicals can help us to make more efficient and sparing use of resources and energy. However, many of their applications are damaging to human healt

Oeko-Institut Working Paper 1/2017

Developments in society and implications for emerging pollutants in the aquatic environment

February 2017

Pollutant emissions in river basins change continuously. Management strategies should address such developments. Many scenarios are published which describe future changes in the environment and in society. Examples concern climate change, demographic change and urbanization. Based on these scenario

A decision tool for substance manufacturers, formulators and end users of chemicals

Guide on sustainable chemicals

October 2016

Sustainable chemistry comprises of many aspects. They range from the selection of inherently safe chemicals via the assessment of environmental impacts of product lines by lifecycle analysis to the implementation of ambitious social standards in the supply chain.