12.4 Environmentally sound management of chemicals
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The AskREACH project aims to sensitise consumers, trade and industry throughout Europe to so-called "substances of very high concern". The project is developing a smartphone app that consumers can use to obtain information about such substances or request information from suppliers. The legal framework for this is constituted by the European chemicals regulation REACH.

The Greenpeace Detox My Fashion Campaign asks fashion companies to stop polluting waterways with hazardous chemicals from clothing production. Since July 2011, Greenpeace has secured commitments from international brands, retailers and suppliers to eliminate hazardous chemicals, including help to trigger policy changes in Europe and Asia.

The Waste Management Act (Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz = KrWG) entered into force on 1 June 2012 and is now Germany's main waste disposal statue. It transposes the EU Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) into German law and comprehensively modernises the former German waste legislation. The KrWG is intended to tighten resource, climate and environmental protection regulations and improve resource efficiency in waste management by strengthening waste avoidance and recycling. At the same time, the adoption of terms and definitions under EU law and the clarification of central regulations are intended to facilitate the practicable and legally secure application of the law. In addition, bureaucratic burdens have been reduced and various regulations have been made more enforceable.
A new scope of application and definitions harmonised under EU law provide more legal certainty and facilitate the application of the Act. In addition, for the first time there are regulations on the practice-relevant questions of the differentiation between waste and by-product as well as on the end of waste status. Based on EU law, the law also determines whether a waste incineration plant is granted " recovery status". The implementation of the hierarchy in the stages of prevention, recovery, disposal is already specified by the law.

With the introduction of § 45 Obligations of Public Authorities, public procurement also receives greater support for waste prevention. § 45 obliges federal authorities to give preference in procurement to "products which, among other things, (1) have been manufactured using production processes that conserve raw materials, save energy, conserve water, are low in pollutants or low in waste ; (2) have been manufactured by preparing them for re-use or by recycling waste, in particular using recycled materials, or have been manufactured from renewable raw materials ; (3) are characterised by durability, ease of repair, reusability and recyclability [...]"

The implementation of circular economy and especially the closure of cycles for raw materials requires collaboration beyond national borders. Therefore, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research promotes the joint transnational calls of the pan European R&I programme ERA-MIN. Partners of transnational consortia should provide a significant contribution to the transnational added value of collaboration. The scope of the joint calls is to promote research addressing thematic areas of the circular economy (sustainable exploration, extraction and processing technologies, recycling, substitution of critical raw materials).The implementation of circular economy and especially the closure of cycles for raw materials requires collaboration beyond national borders. Therefore, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research promotes the joint transnational calls of the pan European R&I programme ERA-MIN. Partners of transnational consortia should provide a significant contribution to the transnational added value of collaboration. The scope of the joint calls is to promote research addressing thematic areas of the circular economy (sustainable exploration, extraction and processing technologies, recycling, substitution of critical raw materials).

The Green Button is a government-run label for sustainable textiles. Since September 2019, the certificate sets binding requirements for the products and the entire company. To obtain the certification, companies have to meet high requirements regarding their production and working conditions. Therefore, they have to comply with 46 social and environmental criteria. Independent auditors conduct the necessary audits. The Germany Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development defines and owns the certification scheme. The Green Button provides orientation when buying socially and environmentally manufactured textiles. Thus, it aims at raising awareness of customers and companies on the topic of sustainable textile production and supply chains. With the assistance of an independent expert advisory council, the Green Button is continuously being developed further to be even more comprehensive in the future.