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30.12.2021 Preliminary Activity Report 2021 / Happy New Year!

The HUI has published its preliminary activity report 2021. This can be read here.
We wish everyone a happy and healthy new year!

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Invitation to the scientific colloquium Cradle to Cradle on September 30th, 2021 in Lüneburg (hybrid event)

Dear friends of Cradle to Cradle in science!

As you know, the book Cradle to Cradle has been ranked right next to Charles Darwin (The Origin of Species) in the list of the world's pioneering science books. This is a great honor. There have been many awards for the concept, including the Golden Flower of Rheydt, honorary doctorates, and even a C2C new cherry tree variety.

Compared to the scientific foundation of other areas, however, we are at the very beginning. That is why it is necessary to meet from time to time and exchange scientific information about what the state of research is, where there are shortcomings and how Cradle to Cradle science can be further developed in the future.

The program will focus on current work practices but also on issues such as new business models. Social and cultural aspects are represented as well as business and technical issues.

We are looking forward to a large number of participants, also from those who implement Cradle to Cradle in business or administration, as an opportunity to inform themselves about the current status and to share their own work experiences.

About the program:
Due to limited on-site seating, the event will be held online for additional viewers. Zoom credentials for free participation will be available upon prior registration at c2c2021@leuphana.de.
Time frame of the event 9:15 a.m. to approx. 6 p.m.

The programme for the research colloquium is available here. It contains all necessary information for online participation, application for wildcards and the hygiene concept for guests on site.

With best regards,

Welcome to Lüneburg or the net!
Yours,

Michael Braungart

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29.04.2021 Guest article in the Frankfurter Rundschau: Food in harmony with nature and the environment

Agriculture destroys resources that are essential for future generations. But we can prevent this: with a different, new "organic". A guest article by Michael Braungart from the Hamburg Environmental Institute. Read the full article here (Language: German).

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26.03.2021 Scientific investigation of an FFP2 mask

The following are the results of the examination of an FFP2 mask and evaluated graphically. This is an FFP2 mask of Chinese make, which was issued on March 4, 2021 against presentation of a voucher at the Bahnhofsapotheke Hamburg. We did not receive any complaints about this mask (e.g. odor, etc.).

During this investigation, individual substances were identified. While individual concentrations of these substances are relatively low, the total amount of emissions is considerable. Here, it is not possible to evaluate the possible interactions of the pollutants with each other, as there can be different synergetic interactions for each substance, i.e. they can have different effects. To illustrate this: This can be, for example, like the interaction after a combined ingestion of an aspirin tablet plus a glass of red wine. This can then have an interaction that can have the same effect as if you had drunk a whole bottle of red wine.

 

 

 

 


The test results refer to this mask issued on March 4, 2021, against presentation of a voucher in the station pharmacy Hamburg.

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01.03.2021 Office hours and inquiries on environmental and health impacts of masks

Dear Sir or Madam,

we ask for your indulgence that we cannot answer each of the numerous inquiries personally. The work of the Hamburg Environmental Institute is mainly based on voluntary work of recognized scientists from different fields. However, we do offer a telephone consultation hour for any questions on this matter on Wednesday, March 03, 2021, 3-5 p.m. at the following number: +494131-6772634.
If there is indeed an urgent need for clarification beyond that, I am also available to answer questions in person.

Lest there be any doubt, the use of masks, unlike the use of disinfectants by laypersons, is absolutely warranted in the current Corona situation. The Hamburg Environmental Institute pointed out the urgency of wearing masks more than 14 days before the Robert Koch Institute did. A subway in Tokyo, for example, could not be operated at all without passengers wearing masks. Through our extensive work in Asia, we are familiar with the use of mouth and nose protection and know the effect of masks in limiting the spread of infectious diseases.

Our comments on masks can in no way be used for corresponding Corona deniers or mask opponents. Rather, the point is to use masks that are equally suitable from an environmental and health perspective.

According to various estimates, over 1.5 billion masks have already entered the world's oceans. They remain there for over 300 years. They are essentially made of polypropylene with various additives, UV stabilizers, antioxidants, catalyst residues, inhibitors, lubricants, adhesive residues and a variety of other chemicals. These masks were not designed for long-term use, so they could be worn for days at a time. It should be noted, even in layman's terms, that these emit microplastics. The polypropylene fibers fray and shred. Microscopic examinations by our institute have proven this.

Unlike disinfectants, masks are essential in everyday corona control. In the case of disinfectants, toxic substances such as formaldehyde or even isopropanol are recommended, which are harmful to the skin. There is a corresponding press release of the Hamburg Environmental Institute from 27 April 2020. The Robert Koch Institute has recommended many of these agents (see "Disinfectants - how harmful are they really?", program Markt, WDR television, 08.07.2020. Further information on this article is also available here).

Just as with pharmaceuticals, it would be necessary to define positively what materials are used in masks, and it would be necessary to enable a real recycling of these masks. This is because in many countries contaminants are found in masks (recent example from Luxembourg/Belgium - more information here). According to our estimates, there are over 2,000 manufacturers for masks in Asia alone, the FFP2 masks are essentially not designed for long-term use and to filter viruses, primarily they are offered as dust masks for sale in DIY stores. They are by no means medical masks. Medical masks are also not designed for days of use, they are disposable products for respective applications and are hazardous medical waste.

The manufacturers in Asia cannot be blamed for containing these harmful substances. It is mainly a problem of quality assurance. We know this problem from children's toys (plasticizers) or thermal papers. Overall, the state is not in a position to adequately protect the population from problematic environmental chemicals. A recent study shows that about one in five to four deaths in Germany is related to air pollution (more information here). It is not even possible to remove carcinogenic azo dyes (such as those contained in Aperol Spritz, see also here, pp. 26-28), which are classified as highly carcinogenic even in the USA, from the market. Consumer protection is overwhelmingly lacking, and the relevant government investigative agencies are not adequately funded. Much of the evidence published by the Hamburg Environmental Institute comes from disgruntled and frustrated employees in government agencies.

For a detailed scientific study of the pollutant levels in masks, many thousands of samples would have to be examined. This is, of course, a nonsensical procedure. Rather, as with other items in the medical field or as with a good cooking recipe, the ingredients would have to be positively defined. Thus, similar to textiles, the search for contaminants in masks is like a Sisyphus task.

With kind regards

Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart
President Scientific Director Hamburger Umweltinstitut
Leuphana Universität Lüneburg
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Hamburger Umweltinstitut -
Zentrum für soziale und ökologische Technik e.V.

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17.02.2021 Press Release: A New Organic (Ein Neues Bio)

The current organic concept is over 100 years old. Significant reforms have not taken place. Mindsets from the beginning of the last century are still the basis of the current concept. This has devastating effects: Neither active protection of biodiversity nor soil conservation is possible with the existing approach of organic agriculture. The mindsets underlying today's organic romanticise nature and do not allow a true partnership between humans and other living things. Even the strictest organic labels, such as Demeter, lose up to 2 tons of humus soil per hectare per year.

Of course, this is no comparison to so-called conventional agriculture, in which up to 40 tons of soil can be lost through corn cultivation per hectare and year, as measurements by the Hamburg Environmental Institute and several other studies - especially in the Netherlands - show. But the current concept of organic agriculture also has fundamental weaknesses. In a study by the Hamburg Environmental Institute, in collaboration with the Leuphana University of Lüneburg and students at the university, it is shown that the current organic farming has key gaps. For example, pesticides that pose significant risks to the environment and health may be used in organic agriculture. A particularly obvious example of this is the use of copper preparations in viticulture and other agricultural crops. When the current organic term was developed, copper was a deficiency element. Nowadays, however, copper has entered the environment in large quantities and is accumulating there, destroys soil fertility and alters aquatic systems. Copper preparations are extremely aquatoxic.

The investigations of the students of the seminar “A New Organic" at the Leuphana University of Lüneburg show additionally that no existing organic label (not even in remote Bhutan) allows the reuse of human nutrients. We humans need to take in about two grams of phosphate daily through food and release it back into the environment. Phosphate is crucial for teeth, bones and human energy storage. However, “there is not a single organic label in the entire world that allows human faeces to be reused. It's only considered organic if we're not part of it,” said Prof. Michael Braungart, chairman of the Hamburg Environmental Institute.
We apparently regret our existence in the world so much that we think it is only organic if humans are not involved. This is based on a fatal, completely one-sided understanding of the role of humans on earth: humans are often understood as “pests” whose “harmfulness” is best minimised by interacting as little as possible with other living beings. In another view, in which people are part of the whole, nutrients must be returned to biological cycles.

At the same time, it must be possible to stop microplastic contamination. There are no reasonable, measurable statements on this area in organic farming either. Research by the Hamburg Environmental Institute and students shows a drastic need for reform. Topics such as soil erosion, biodiversity as well as the support of soil organisms have so far only been considered in very minor sub-areas.

“Current conventional agriculture is destructive to nature and the environment. But organic agriculture also in no way solves the food problems for 10 billion people and also causes considerable environmental destruction”, explains Prof. Michael Braungart.

What is needed is agriculture that actively supports biodiversity, builds up the soil and returns human nutrients. The concept developed by the recently deceased Nobel Prize winner Paul Crutzen proclaimed Anthropocene means that humans accept their role as essential biomass and users of nutrients. If soil can be built up through agriculture, it can make a significant contribution to solving the climate problem. More than half of all carbon is stored in soil. That is why we need an agricultural system that can provide for 10 billion people under completely different conditions.

The study by the Hamburg Environmental Institute and students shows how such a path could be possible. The BIOFACH in Nuremberg, which is starting now and has to take place digitally under corona conditions, could be a real discussion forum for such a New Organic.

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09.02.2021 Press Release
Hamburger Umweltinstitut: healthy and biodegradable face mask

Research of the Hamburger Umweltinstitut has shown that the masks we use against the COViD-19 pandemic often contain harmful substances which are migrating into the human body and the environment. These are on the one hand volatile organic hydrocarbons and formaldehyde - on the other antimicrobial substances, such as silver chloride, which can lead to negative effects on the human skin flora and result even in germ resistance. All these aspects are reducing as well the ability to dispose the masks correctly - and underline the need for developing a new type of face mask.
A German student start-up (named with the unusual name “Holy Shit.”) from the Leuphana Universität (Lüneburg) has now developed in cooperation with industrial partners the VivaMask, an environmentally friendly type of mask with no health hazards.

On 3 January this mask was introduced during a virtual press conference to the public by
•    Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart (Scientific Director, Hamburger Umweltinstitut),
•    Lea Lensky und Victor Büchner (Founding Managers, Holy Shit.) and
•    Fredy Baumeler (CEO, Climatex).

Lea Lensky und Victor Büchner outlined the specifications:
•    The material of the mask is skin-friendly and 95°C washable;
•    With its filter inlay, it is meeting FFP2 standards;
•    The fabric and its ear-straps are 100% biodegradable, representing even biosphere nutrient;
•    the fabric has a bacteriostatic effect and prevents bacterial growth and thus the formation of odors, skin irritation and rashes;
•    it does not lead to absorption and accumulation of micro plastics in the human organism;
•    it is fully recyclable in technical cycles;
•    the mask complies with the with the requirements of the Cradle to Cradle principles.

While the Robert Koch Institute still refused to recommend wear masks, the Hamburger Umweltinstitut demanded that the wearing of masks should be compulsory as an important way to limit the spread of the pandemic. However, our masks, mostly imported from Asia, have not been developed under environmental and health aspects, microscopic tests have shown the considerable amount of micro plastics and harmful emissions.


(Picture: Monika Griefahn)

In case you still use those traditional masks, the Hamburger Umweltinstitut recommends letting newly acquired traditional masks air out for several hours or heating them at 50°C for 30 minutes in an oven so that a large part of the volatile organic substances can evaporate. The institute recommends as well not using those masks containing antimicrobial additives - such as silver chloride - as these are extremely harmful to health.

Micro plastics are mostly absorbed through the food chain, they accumulate in our body and can have significant negative effects on our organisms (the average of micro plastics a person is absorbing weekly is the equivalent of a third of a bank card). According to the Hong-Kong-based marine conservation NGO OceansAsia, more than 1.500 million polypropylene masks already entered our oceans during the Covid-19 pandemic, where they are. There, they are expected to harm for centuries directly and indirectly marine life and humans.

Fredy Baumeler: “Taking into consideration our overall traditional motto ot Climatex - what is good for people should not harm nature - we have contributed to the textile development of this new mask. As a supplier of the very first Cradle to Cradle products, we have the experience offering regenerative and healthy textile technology since the mid-1990s. "

It is outrageous that, especially in the health sector, so little attention is paid to the use of materials that are compatible with health and the environment. One should have developed healthy and biodegradable masks for the general public in parallel to the vaccine. Our mask presented today, as well a contribution solving the waste problem” added Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart.

The production of the fabric of the VivaMask demands only small areas of arable land and water, no pesticides and chemical fertilizers. The fabric can absorb one and a half time as much moisture as cotton. This VivaMask is an example for a credible alternative to those unsustainable traditional one way masks.

The distribution of the masks lies now in the hands of the company Viotrade GmbH (vivamask.de and vivamask.ch).

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15.01.2021 Article publication: More consumer protection for ingredients in food: No shining example

A warm summer evening, a cozy spot on the terrace and a wonderfully cool drink to go with it - who doesn't immediately think of one of the Germans' favorite cocktails: the Aperol Spritz, delicious served on ice with a slice of lemon or orange.
But what makes this aperitif made of Prosecco, mineral water, ice and Aperol a real cocktail classic? Is it the typical taste of the mixture or rather its shiny orange color that excites so many people?
If you look a little closer and are interested in the ingredients of this cocktail, you will quickly be disappointed, because the manufacturer leaves the consumer largely in the dark about this. More information and consumer protection is urgently needed, because these are so-called azo dyes, which can also cause damage to health.

For this reason, the Hamburg Environmental Institute has taken a closer look at the issue of transparency and health compatibility of ingredients in foods such as Aperol Spritz.
The article was published in the current issue 01-2020 of the science e-journal Wissenswert. The entire issue can be read for free at the following link: Wissenswert 01-2020 (HUI article on pp. 26-28). Language: German.

(General information about Wissenswert is available HERE).

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08.07.2020 Media: WDR Market: Disinfectants - how harmful are they really?

The President Scientific Director of the Hamburg Environmental Institute, Prof. Michael Braungart, answered questions on the subject of disinfectants in the WDR consumer magazine "Markt".

Summary of the WDR: In the office, in shops or in your handbag: Disinfectants are our new daily companions. Since the beginning of the corona crisis, we have been using the virus-killing gels in an almost inflationary way. In many cases unnecessarily, because a thorough soap cleaning is sufficient. Worse still: some of the disinfectant's ingredients can damage the respiratory tract or even cause cancer if used excessively. Markt gets to the bottom of it.

The whole video clip is available here in the WDR media library (Language: German).

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Hamburg, April 27, 2020

Press release: The Hamburger Umweltinstitut warns against health hazards from disinfectants

Due to the current COVID-19 crisis, disinfectants are used in large quantities, not only for hand disinfection, but also for disinfecting objects and floors. Entire streets are treated with disinfectants. However, there are a number of aspects which may be easily underestimated in the eagerness to fight this pandemic, which should also be taken into account.

Many of the ingredients of disinfectants are harmful to health (e.g. carcinogenic, sensitizing, allergenic, damaging to lungs, liver and nerves). This applies when inhaling sprays as well as for skin treatment. Isopropanol, for example, is far more toxic than common drinking alcohol. Aldehydes and ketones, as well as additional processed chemicals and fragrances, also pose considerable health risks. In addition to that, the frequent use of such fat dissolving agents damages the skin flora, resistances of respective germs may develop and dermatoses are possible. Having dried-out skin, there is an increasing risk of rubbing one’s aching hands in the face and thus transferring even more germs. Applying moisturizers can further aggravate the problem, as the greasy outer surface of the COVID-19 virus is thereby almost actively retained.

Additionally, the Hamburger Umweltinstitut warns against dangers and risks of swallowing and eye contact. Most commercially available disinfectants do not contain any warnings in this regard. Apart from this, disinfectants are drastically overpriced in relation to their actual value.

The warning of the Hamburger Umweltinstitut refers exclusively to the exaggerated use of disinfectants outside the medical field. In the medical area, disinfectants are without doubt beneficial. For many disinfectants to work effectively, an exposure of up to 15 minutes would be required. This means that they are only of limited use against viruses including COVID-19.

So what can be done? There are certainly good reasons in the medical field such as in hospitals or doctors' surgeries for using chemical disinfectants. However, their general application in kindergartens, schools, workplaces or even at home is irresponsible and grossly negligent. Since these organic solvents can damage the respiratory tract, people with pre-existing conditions such as asthma are particularly vulnerable. There may be an increased risk of a fatal COVID-19 virus infection. Washing the hands carefully with curd soap, olive soap or any other household hand soap is sufficient enough to rule out possible infection risks via hands or through hand contact. This should be actively communicated in the appropriate educational facilities instead of offering chemical solvents in litres and canisters as supposedly safe solution.

Quote: "Dealing with disinfectants means dealing with dangerous chemical solvents and the potential for severe health risks. The use of chemical disinfectants should be reserved for medical use only, also in order to prevent the development of any resistances. Cracked, dry skin can also cause pain through inflammation and pose health risks for the transmission of infectious diseases", states Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart, Chairman of the Hamburger Umweltinstitut, in this article.

 

 

09.03.2020, 19.30h: Lecture & discussion: "Ich zuerst!" (Me first!) by Heike Leitschuh at the Museum of the Future in Lüneburg

09.03.2020, 19.30h, Museum of the Future, Papenstraße 15, 21335 Lüneburg

FREE ENTRY!

Heike Leitschuh will give a lecture (with subsequent discussion) on her book "Ich zuerst. Eine Gesellschaft auf dem Ego-Trip" at the Museum of the Future in Lüneburg. The event starts at 19.30 hrs.

The "Ichlinge" are coming - Does the constant competition threaten our society?

Neo-liberal thinking is damaging our society and is causing solidarity and respect among people to dwindle. More and more people think only about themselves, their careers and their own needs and therefore treat their fellow human beings like the last muck. In politics and the media, the problem is neglected and its full extent has not yet been recognised. So it is high time to rethink and to take countermeasures, both with a different policy and for each and every one of us. Because no one wants to live in a country in which everyone is only himself and only that which is worthwhile counts.

The Hamburg Environmental Institute and the Museum of the Future are looking forward to a inspiring lecture with following discussion and cordially invite you to participate.

Language: German. Further information can be found here.

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The Hamburger Umweltinstitut e.V. (Hamburg Environmental Institute - Center for Social and Ecological Technology) was founded in 1989 for scientific research on environmental solutions. It is a registered, independent, non-profit organization with an tax-exempt status.

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