umweltgefährdende

Umweltgefährdende is an adjective in German describing substances, materials, or activities that pose a risk to the environment. The term literally means environmentally hazardous and is used to refer to ecological risks such as toxicity to aquatic life, persistence in ecosystems, or potential to pollute soil and water.

In regulatory and safety contexts, umweltgefährdende substances are categorized to inform handling, storage, and disposal. Environmental hazard is conveyed in European labeling and classification through pictograms showing a dead tree and a fish, and through hazard statements associated with the substance (for example, terms indicating toxicity to the aquatic environment). The phrases umweltgefährdend or umweltgefährdende Stoffe are commonly found in risk communications, safety data sheets, and product labels to indicate ecological risk.

Examples of substances that may be described as umweltgefährdend include certain pesticides, industrial solvents, fuels and oils, and some heavy metals or persistent organic pollutants. These substances can cause harm to aquatic ecosystems or accumulate in the environment, which justifies careful containment, spill prevention, and proper disposal under applicable environmental and chemical safety regulations.

Overall, umweltgefährdende serves as a concise neutral descriptor used in German-speaking safety, regulatory, and policy discussions to flag potential ecological hazards and to guide risk management measures.

See also: environmental hazard, ecological risk, CLP Regulation, safety data sheets, hazard pictograms, REACH.