Axel Friedrich — Research Protocol

Dr. Axel Friedrich (born approximately 1947, age 60 as of 2007) is a PhD chemist who has been one of Germany's most prominent environmental experts, particularly in emissions control and air quality. For nearly 30 years (1994-2008), he served as head of the "Traffic and Noise" department (Abteilung Verkehr und Lärm) at the Umweltbundesamt (UBA - Federal Environmental Agency), making him a central figure in German environmental policy for decades. (Abstellkammer.pdf)

He is described as an "upright figure, a cornerstone of the modern environmental movement" - someone who was uncomfortable, sometimes irritating to powerful interests, but respected as a knowledgeable critic of the automobile industry. (Abstellkammer.pdf)

Friedrich's career has been marked by uncompromising advocacy for environmental protection:

Major Recognition: In 2006, he received the prestigious "Haagen-Smit Clean Air Award" - becoming the first European ever to receive this honor from California's environmental ministry, recognizing his decades-long commitment to reducing pollutant emissions from road traffic. (Abstellkammer.pdf)

Diesel Emissions Scandal: Friedrich played a crucial role in uncovering the fraudulent diesel particulate filter scandal. Using a Swiss study (TTM Meyer Institute) showing the ineffectiveness of many retrofit filters, he documented that up to 60,000 of 170,000 retrofitted filters were worthless. When the Ministry refused to publish these findings in autumn 2006, claiming they weren't collected "according to German testing procedures," Friedrich persisted in making the truth known. He was eventually scapegoated and transferred to a department on "Making Our Cities More Beautiful" - effectively sidelined for being too troublesome. (Abstellkammer.pdf)

Broad Expertise: His core expertise areas included minimizing CO2 emissions from traffic and understanding fuel's impact on pollutant emissions. He was known for confrontational advocacy, consistently pointing out manufacturer negligence regarding environmental standards - describing this as a pattern where major environmental technologies (three-way catalytic converters, diesel particulate filters, CO2 limits, NOx limits, particulate reduction) were initially fiercely opposed by the auto industry, then grudgingly implemented, and finally celebrated as "milestones." (Abstellkammer.pdf)

Friedrich and Houben have maintained an extensive professional collaboration spanning at least 20+ years (2000-2024), centered on environmental investigative journalism:

Initial Contact Period (2000-2003): Friedrich appears in contact lists from Houben's early vehicle emissions research, indicating their relationship was already established by 2000. (e-mail of 3.1.2000_ Petrol vehicles meet SULEV standard.eml)

Active Collaboration Period (2003-2010): Friedrich served as key expert and interview subject for multiple Plusminus and Monitor TV reports on vehicle emissions, including:

• "Doch Stinker" (2000-2003) - emissions testing reports
• "DS EST" (2002-2003) - sustainable transport projects
• Climate system and fuel consumption investigations (2006-2010)

Scandal Investigation Period (2015-2017): When the diesel emissions scandal broke, Friedrich and Houben worked extensively together on ARD Exklusiv reports titled "Keine Luft zum Atmen" (No Air to Breathe), with Friedrich conducting on-camera real-world vehicle emissions measurements. (ARDExcl KeineLuft text FINAL2.doc)

Recent Projects (2021-2024): Their collaboration has continued on contemporary environmental issues including the Federal Mobility Act and heat pump technology. (Re_ Bundesmobilitatsgesetz.eml)

Contact Information: [Private contact details removed for publication.] (Axel zu Biogas.eml)

Friedrich's work has extended significantly into wood stove and fireplace emissions, an area often overlooked in environmental policy:

Measurement Work: For many years, Friedrich has systematically measured emissions from wood-burning heating systems across Germany. In 2018, he measured particulate matter levels in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a ski resort and health spa town with many wood stoves. His findings were striking: despite the town's alpine location and designation as a health resort where patients with respiratory diseases receive treatment, the air quality was comparable to Berlin-Mitte or Beijing - far exceeding all limit values. The source was not cars but thousands of wood-burning stoves. (PM KaminofenKonzept.docx)

Scale of Problem: Friedrich's measurements reveal that emissions from soot particles from wood stoves now exceed total emissions from all road traffic combined. He emphasizes that wood stove fine dust is medically more dangerous than diesel particulates because it carries numerous carcinogenic substances bound to the particles. According to EU health authority studies cited in his work, over 200,000 people die prematurely annually from fine dust exposure. (PM Kaminöfen txt. final.docx)

Pilot Project (2024): Friedrich is currently (as of early 2024) implementing a pilot project in Berlin's Papageiensiedlung, testing electrostatic particle separation filters on 100 old stoves. These filters work by creating high-voltage electrical fields (20,000 volts) that charge soot particles, which adhere to the chimney walls and can be cleaned during regular chimney sweeps. The technology is remarkably effective: measurements show 95% reduction in particulate matter, making old stoves with such filters cleaner than new stoves meeting current regulations - while consuming only 30 watts of power (costing one cent per hour). (PM Kaminöfen txt. final.docx)

Policy Advocacy: Friedrich advocates strongly for government subsidy programs to make retrofitting filters affordable. He argues that a small initial subsidy would enable mass production, reducing costs from ~€2,500 to potentially under €1,000, making filters cheaper than new stoves while achieving superior environmental results. His recommendation is that filter retrofitting, rather than mandatory stove replacement, represents the more effective and economical environmental policy. (PM Kaminöfen txt. final.docx)

Current Role: Friedrich now operates as an independent consultant through his "Emissions Control Institute" (Emissions-Kontroll-Institut), continuing his measurement work and environmental expertise while working closely with Houben on contemporary environmental investigation and journalism.