Under the Sino-German Environmental Partnership Phase III (SGEP III), a two-day study and technical exchange tour on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) took place on 11–12 September 2025. The delegation from the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Office (FECO) of China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), engaged with German public authorities, research institutions and private-sector practitioners. The programme combined technical presentations, case studies and site visits to strengthen mutual understanding of PFAS management challenges and solutions.

Programme overview

Day 1 – Düsseldorf: Sessions addressed the phase-out of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), including alternatives, training and monitoring in the firefighting sector. Additional topics included identification of suspected PFAS areas, remediation at Düsseldorf Airport, case studies of contaminated sites and management of firefighting water and foam in line with UNECE guidelines.

Day 2 – Essen: Demonstrations at Cornelsen GmbH covered cleaning of firefighting equipment using PerfluorAd, treatment of PFAS-contaminated water and selected remediation case studies, followed by a site visit.

Day 2 – GIZ Bonn: The final session brought together experts from German authorities, academia and industry for discussions on:

• EU PFAS restriction proposal (ECHA and authorities of DE/NL/NO/SE/DK)
• PFAS in the EU “Zero Pollution” framework
• Drinking-water parametric values and implications
• Contaminated-site management and soil-limit considerations
• Waste regulation and destruction technologies
• Monitoring of PFAS releases from industrial facilities
• Chinese practice exchange on PFOS phase-out and waste handling

Participants and roles

Contributions came from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), Federal Ministry of Health (BMG), German Environment Agency (UBA), Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), POPs Environmental Consulting, alongside experts from FECO.

Source: Jan Philipp Laurinat (GIZ)

Key takeaways

• Policy foresight: insights into EU restriction proposals and drinking-water standards support regulatory preparedness.
• Practical solutions: case studies and technology demonstrations illustrated remediation design and operational considerations.
• Data integrity: monitoring and cross-agency coordination underpin effective implementation.
• Waste and destruction: discussions highlighted regulatory pathways and technical challenges for safe disposal.

Outlook

The exchange fostered open dialogue and network-building, creating a basis for future cooperation. Building on this success, SGEP III will explore follow-up activities.