Archive press releases

The German government wants electric vehicles to make a substantial contribution to climate protection in future. As a result the recycling industry faces new challenges – for example with regard to power electronics. Under the leadership of…

The first container of used lead-acid batteries from Africa has landed in Germany. The batteries were collected in Ghana through a unique cooperation and recycled in an environmentally-sound manner in Germany. Experts neutralized the battery acid…

In many countries of the European Union, nuclear reactors will be operated for longer in future than originally planned. Furthermore, the nuclear power plants have to generate more electricity. The components of the nuclear reactors are burdened by…

Goods manufactured with 3D printers can save resources in the production process and can reduce warehousing, transport costs and packaging. However, at the same time, the materials used are currently still restricted mainly to plastics and metals,…

In order to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the energy consumption for the heating and cooling of buildings – among other things – must be substantially reduced. The different climatic zones in the European Union make different strategies necessary.…

To make a contribution to the climate protection, the waste management has to place its trust in recycling instead of refuse incineration. It can only contribute to the energy transformation if waste is utilized as comprehensively as possible and…

300 years of sustainability – it’s the birthday of an idea. But despite the Rio Declaration on Sustainable Development, which Germany also signed, and a broad public sustainability discussion, further efforts are needed in Oeko-Institut’s view so…

The voluntary sustainability measures of companies – widely referred to as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – are not sufficient to generate a significantly positive influence on society. To achieve this, political regulation and voluntary…

The Federation of German Industries (BDI) and Oeko-Institut are jointly looking for solutions for how policy and companies in Europe can effectively tackle the problem of the conflict financing of resources such as gold, tantalum, tungsten and tin.…

In spring this year, Siemens Enterprise Communications (SEN) will start using the eco-label Blue Angel in advertising its energy-efficient Voice-over-IP telephone systems in Turkey, India and CeBIT’s partner country Poland. At the same time Kyocera…

Environmental aspects have been taken into account in procurement for a long time in Germany. The integration of such aspects is in accordance with regulation, can reduce costs and actively contributes to environmental protection. Yet the topic of…

Imports of nuclear power to Germany did not increase after the shutdown of eight nuclear power plants in March 2011. This is the conclusion of a report by Öko-Institut which was commissioned by Greenpeace and is published today. The report refutes…

Nanomaterials are already applied to numerous products today in order to equip them with additional properties. This trend is surely on the rise. The Öko-Institut recommends adjusting the registration and testing requirements established by the…

The facility for refining Australian ore concentrate rich in rare earth metals of Lynas Corporation in Malaysia has several deficiencies concerning the operational environmental impacts. The environment is affected by acidic substances as well as…

Oeko-Institut and the sustainability platform Utopia are today launching the campaign “Save 1,000 Euros of electricity!” under the slogan “Energy transformation – we’re getting started”. The initiative is informing citizens about high saving…

Oeko-Institut, ISOE and car2go launch study on car sharing Car sharing is trendy, it’s seen as being flexible and sustainable – especially when the cars are powered by electricity. But when it comes to car sharing, how eco- and user-friendly are…

Is it worth replacing an old notebook which still functions with a new, more energy-efficient model? Do energy savings in the use of a new notebook outweigh the environmental impacts of its production? No is the answer provided by Oeko-Institut and…

Whether measured as energy demand or greenhouse gas emissions, the manufacture of smartphones causes the largest environmental impacts – 60 per cent – along their life cycle. If one smartphone is used for a long period of time, the harmful effects…

The problems associated with the recycling of e-waste in Africa, for both people and the environment, are well-known. Less well known, though, are the benefits that sustainable recycling can bring. Oeko-Institut’s new project aims to investigate…

European legislation such as the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and the Renewable Energy Directive requires member states to develop ambitious policies in the building sector. The design of effective policy supporting nearly Zero-Energy…