Aug 4, 2025 | Empa Summer Camp 2025
This summer, 24 curious children had the opportunity to take part in the traditional Empa summer camp. In interesting and fascinating workshops, they immersed themselves in the world of engineers and materials...
Jul 10, 2025 | New study on chemicals in plastics published in Nature
To curb global plastic pollution and to make plastics safer and more sustainable, countries are currently negotiating a global treaty. A new study published in Nature provides a comprehensive and systematic overview of...
Jun 27, 2025 | "Zukunfts(K)reise" published as a book
What could a sustainable life for everyone look like? Together with schoolchildren and the St. Gallen University of Teacher Education, Empa researchers have published a children's book on circular economy that aims to...
Jun 26, 2025 | Solar energy as a basic service for the public
How can we accelerate the energy transition in a socially responsible way? Empa researchers propose a publicly funded basic service in solar energy that would increase energy autonomy, create social justice and promote...
May 8, 2025 | Empa research shows individual CO2 footprint
Net zero: the goal that moves our society at all levels. But what can we as individuals contribute to achieve it? Answers are given by the Emission Explorer, the new exhibit developed by Empa as part of Energy Science...
Dec 16, 2024 | Comprehensive material flow analysis of Switzerland's wood
Sustainable, renewable and good for the climate: Wood is the material of the future. But how much of it do we actually have and how do we make best use of it? Researchers from Empa and WSL have now analyzed the material...
Nov 22, 2024 | "Highly Cited Researchers" 2024
The Empa scientists Maksym Kovalenko and Zhanyun Wang are among the world's most frequently cited researchers in their fields. Their influential work has earned them a place on the list of "Highly Cited Researchers".
Oct 17, 2024 | Energy Days at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne
How can we successfully shape the energy transition? Where do we stand today, and how do children envision a sustainable future? Answers to these and many more questions can be found during the Energy Days at the Swiss...
Oct 8, 2024 | Intercontinental knowledge transfer
In summer 2024, the South African government published a strategy paper on the management of e-waste, which was developed in collaboration with Empa. This is the first time the country has issued standardized guidelines...
Jul 8, 2024 | Measuring the doughnut
Sustainability and quality of life – a contradiction? Not necessarily, shows a new study by Empa researchers. According to their calculations, an ecologically and socially just life is possible for over ten billion...
Feb 8, 2024 | Release of oligomers from polyester textiles
Textiles made of synthetic fibers release micro- and nanoplastics during washing. Empa researchers have now been able to show: Some of the supposed nanoplastics do not actually consist of plastic particles, but of...
Nov 16, 2023 | Highly Cited Researchers 2023
The two Empa scientists Maksym Kovalenko and Zhanyun Wang are among the world's most frequently cited researchers in their fields. Their influential work has netted them an entry on the list of "Highly Cited...
Oct 24, 2023 | Battery recycling
Empa and Kyburz Switzerland AG are looking for ways to recycle end-of-life lithium-ion batteries in an efficient and resource-saving way. A specially developed experimental facility breaks down the old batteries into...
Sep 12, 2023 | Circular economy
When the children’s creativity meets scientific expertise, new ideas are born – for example, about what the sustainable world of tomorrow might look like. Together with school children and the St. Gallen University of...
Aug 17, 2023 | Switzerland hosts major events on the governance of mineral and metal resources
Climate change discussions often overlook the central role played by the excessive extraction and use of natural resources. The topic, however, will be the central focus of two events being hosted back-to-back in Geneva...
Jul 20, 2023 | New EU policy measures based on Empa research
New vehicles are responsible for around ten percent of plastic demand in the EU, and the automotive sector is the number one consumer of raw materials like aluminum, magnesium, platinum group metals, and rare earth...
Jul 10, 2023 | Global regulations disregarded
Researchers from Switzerland and China have studied the global trade in highly hazardous chemicals subject to a global treaty – the Rotterdam Convention. The results are sobering: Nearly half of the total trade volume of...
Jun 12, 2023 | Country-scale calculation
Plastic particles less than five millimeters in size, also known as microplastics, often settle far away from their point of origin. Empa researchers have now developed a model that can be used to calculate the...
Jun 5, 2023 | Chemicals in plastics
Plastics contain thousands of chemicals that can harm the environment and human health. Yet we know too little about approximately half of them. A new technical report from the United Nations Environment Programme...
May 3, 2023 | A powerful tool to help organizations evaluate their carbon footprint
A new online digital ecosystem, currently developed under the leadership of Empa and digitalswitzerland, will connect valuable knowledge about greenhouse gas emissions, assessment standards and calculation tools with the...