News

03. April 2024, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Revision of the Plant Protection Products Ordinance: Ecotox Centre says yes, but

Revision of the Plant Protection Products Ordinance: Ecotox Centre says yes, but

The Ecotox Centre and Eawag welcome a total revision of the Plant Protection Products Ordinance (PPPO). However, the two institutes are calling for improvements on important points, such as the adoption of EU authorisations or the precautionary principle. The ordinance must ensure that other regulations such as the Water Protection or the Environmental Protection Act are not undermined.

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02. April 2024, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Ecotox Centre study leads to postulate in Zurich Cantonal Council

Ecotox Centre study leads to postulate in Zurich Cantonal Council

A recent study by the Ecotox Centre has shown that nature reserves are also contaminated with pesticides. A postulate based on this study has now been submitted to the Zurich Cantonal Council.

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18. March 2024, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

PFAS course attracts interest

PFAS course attracts interest

To provide comprehensive information about PFAS and their toxicity to the environment and humans, the Ecotox Centre has organised a course last week, which was attended by more than 80 participants.

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16. February 2024, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Info sheet on sunscreens in surface waters

Info sheet on sunscreens in surface waters

Sunscreens protect us against skin cancer, but can also be harmful to organisms in lakes. A new Ecotox Centre info sheet provides information about the various UV filters and gives recommendations for more eco-friendly sun protection.

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13. February 2024, Topic: Risk Assessment

Quality criteria: data sheets available on website

Quality criteria: data sheets available on website

The Ecotox Centre has derived environmental quality criteria for more than 100 substances. We have now made the associated data sheets available on our website so that the process leading to these values can be understood.

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25. January 2024, Topic: Soil Ecotoxicology

Threshold values for anticoagulants in the liver of birds of prey

Threshold values for anticoagulants in the liver of birds of prey

With these values, the Ecotox Centre wants to find out whether further measures are necessary to better protect birds of prey from rodent poisons.

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30. November 2023, Topic: Risk Assessment , Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology

European EQS experts meet at the Ecotox Centre

European EQS experts meet at the Ecotox Centre

The quality criteria experts from numerous European countries met at the Ecotox Centre for their first face-to-face meeting since the coronavirus pandemic.

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23. November 2023, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Soil Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Biotopes of national importance are also contaminated with plant protection products

Biotopes of national importance are also contaminated with plant protection products

The investigation of nine amphibian spawning grounds and three fens has shown that these biotopes of national importance are contaminated with numerous plant protection products. Insecticides from the pyrethroid group in particular exceeded the legal limits and chronic quality criteria, in some cases many fold.

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22. November 2023, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology , Sediment Ecotoxicology , Risk Assessment

Database with quality criteria and other ecotoxicological threshold values

Database with quality criteria and other ecotoxicological threshold values

The Ecotox Centre maintains a database of environmental quality criteria (EQC) and other ecotoxicological threshold values, which currently contains over 2000 entries on almost 600 substances.

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17. November 2023, Topic: Aquatic Ecotoxicology

Assessment of the water quality of the Vuachère in Lausanne

Assessment of the water quality of the Vuachère in Lausanne

Numerous micropollutants have been detected in the Vuachère, some of which originate from the discharge of untreated wastewater. These substances, such as the pharmaceutical ibuprofen, the herbicide diuron and the insecticides diazinon, fipronil, chlorpyriphos and fenpropathrin, pose ecotoxicological risks.

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