Inherited waste

In the past, soil contamination has occurred on some industrial, commercial and military sites. This was often due to accidents or careless handling of pollutants. Precipitation caused them to seep into the groundwater. Contamination of groundwater can lead to drinking water having to be purified at great expense or no longer being usable at all. Expensive remediation and safety measures, such as the construction of interceptor wells, can prevent pollutants from spreading into groundwater. The failures of earlier generations cannot be cured within one generation. For this reason, the remediation of contaminated sites is being systematically pursued. Everyone can help to prevent "contaminated sites of tomorrow" by careful handling of oils, paints or pesticides.

Medications

Everyone wants to be healthy! There is good medical care in Germany. We all benefit from the fact that there are so many and so effective drugs. On average, everyone takes 1.5 medications a day.

Good medical care has an undesirable side effect: up to 70% of the drugs are excreted by our body. The active substances are thus released into wastewater, water bodies and groundwater! For the environment, these substances are a problem because they are not degraded or only degraded slowly.

It is true that sewage treatment plants can remove drugs from wastewater. For this purpose, however, they must be equipped with additional cleaning stages. It is more effective to reduce the burden of medication on the aquatic environment. For example, you shouldn't throw old medications in the toilet.

Nitrate

Nitrate is an important plant nutrient. With nitrate-containing fertilizers, agriculture promotes the growth of cultivated plants. There are problems where more fertilizer is applied than the plants can utilize. Then the nitrate is washed out into the subsoil and reaches the groundwater.

According to the Water Management Act, no more than 50 milligrams of nitrate may be contained in a litre of drinking water. If the limit value is exceeded, it must be mixed with nitrate-free water or technically treated. Our drinking water is constantly monitored. Its high quality is guaranteed.

For the production of deep green lettuce or the particularly early harvest of potatoes, more fertiliser is used than is necessary. Consumers can change course by buying regional, seasonal and organic food. Because organic farming uses less fertiliser, it reduces nitrate pollution.

Substances hazardous to water

Water-polluting substances are used in industry, agriculture and the private sector. We heat with oil, fill up with petrol, use detergents and cleaners, use paints and varnishes. All these substances can pollute large quantities of water even in the smallest quantities.

The most important water-polluting substances are mineral oils, which are used as production materials or energy sources, and biomass, which accumulates in agricultural farming of a. Water-polluting substances are most frequently released into the environment during accidents in agriculture and in biogas plants.

According to the Water Resources Act, substances hazardous to water must be stored and transported safely. Special rules have been laid down for industry, commerce and agriculture, which are adapted to changes in the economy but also in accident statistics.

Microplastics

We all use toothpaste, shower gel and cosmetics such as anti-wrinkle creams, make-ups or lipsticks. This is part of our daily body care. Precisely where cleanliness is concerned, a source of water pollution is hidden: microplastics! These are tiny plastic particles that are used in cosmetics as grinding or gloss particles. Since sewage treatment plants cannot remove these from the waste water, they end up in the environment. Read the ingredients list of your toothpaste, shower gel and other cosmetics. If you find there terms like polyethylene, polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate, microplastik is included. Alternatively, you can also use natural cosmetics, in which microplastics are taboo.

Pesticides

Fruit and vegetables are an essential part of a good diet! We all want agricultural products in sufficient quantities and at affordable prices. We also attach great importance to "clean" energy, which is partly obtained from the combustion of energy crops such as rapeseed. Agriculture uses pesticides to keep weeds and pests away. However, these can also have a negative effect on other animals and plants. In addition, pesticides are released from the field into water bodies and seep into groundwater.

German farmers may only use authorised plant protection products. It is assumed that they use the funds in a professional and therefore environmentally sound manner. Consumers can take care to buy organic vegetables and fruit. Organic farming does not use pesticides.