PLASTCYCLE will provide a comprehensive overview of fate of different plastic types and additive chemicals in the waste stream. We will also provide solutions for optimizing plastic waste management by coupling scientific findings with information and knowledge of industrial partners, municipalities and waste management companies across Norway.
The primary objective of this proposal is to develop, explore, and evaluate a novel integrated risk assessment framework for assessing combined impacts of multiple pressures on the state of Arctic ecosystems. The focus herein will be upon data-rich pressures and ecosystems to enable development and a thorough evaluation of the framework.
Arctic ecosystems are subject to multiple pressures, of which two of the major challenges are climate change and exposure to long-range transported, persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic contaminants.
These issues have largely been addressed individually, yet there is a critical need to enhance the understanding of combined impacts of multiple pressures and their interactions on Arctic ecosystem state and health. This calls for better integration of research both within and across disciplines in a comprehensive research initiative.
The primary objective of this proposal is to develop, explore, and evaluate a novel integrated risk assessment framework for assessing combined impacts of multiple pressures on the state of Arctic ecosystems.
The focus herein will be upon data-rich pressures and ecosystems to enable development and a thorough evaluation of the framework.
Hence, the initial focus will be on interacting effects of environmental organic contaminants and climate change on top-predators of a coastal and an offshore Arctic marine ecosystem in the Svalbard and Barents Sea areas.
Important sub-goals include research to
(1) develop the framework through evaluating existing knowledge of the most relevant pressures and their interactions,
(2) explore the utility of the framework to assess interactions of contaminants and climate change on the state of two selected Arctic marine ecosystems,
(3) explore the utility of the framework to assess combined impacts across ecosystems, space, and time, and
(4) evaluate the overall framework, guide further research, and communicate key results to regulatory bodies and institutions.
Overall, the project is designed to both
(i) strengthen research on critical Arctic environmental issues across disciplines and institutions, and
(ii) contribute with scientific knowledge and possible mitigation strategies of interest to relevant environmental agencies as well as international programs and agreements.
How should we best dispose of our used car tires? The RubberRoad project addresses the responsible use of tires, stimulating the production of asphalt with rubber content in Norway.
Used tires represent a significant waste problem both globally and in Norway, with ca 60,000 tons of tires been discarded in our country every year. It is not allowed to dump used tires in a landfill. Instead, tires are burned for energy or recycled for their material like for use to fill artificial soccer fields. However, the waste treatment methods for used tires currently used in Norway leads to serious environmental and climate effects, including harmful emissions of micro-plastics and chemicals to water, air, and soil. Therefore, alternative more sustainable ways to dispose of our used tires need to be considered.
RubberRoad proposes to use rubber from used tires in the production of asphalt for road and bicycle ways. This recycling approach has not gained much attention in Norway despite is apparent advantages, such as noise reduction, increased durability, safer shock impact, and reduced climate and environmental impacts.
The Life Cycle Analysis carried out during this project feasibility study has demonstrated a series of environmental benefits in the use in the use of rubber in asphalt production. It has also helped identify relevant knowledge gaps related in particular to the use phase of the rubberized asphalt and its impact to noise, air and micro-plastic pollution. Better understanding of these effects would probably result in even larger environmental benefits of rubberized asphalt with respect to standard asphalt production.
However, while the tire recycling industry is generally positive to the disposal of used tires in asphalt production, additional incentives need to be put in place for the Norwegian asphalt producers to consider actively contributing to this development.
In ANDROMEDA, a combination of advanced techniques, such as µFTIR, Raman and SEM-EDX, should be optimized and used for characterization and quantification of microplastics and nanoplastics in the order of 1 µm, 0.2 µm and less. Particular focus will be given to types of MP that are challenging to detect, such as microfibers, paint flakes and tire wear particles.
The iFLINK project shall facilitate for monitoring AQ at many different places at low costs. Scientists working in the project will develop and use new calibration and visualization methods based on machine learning and data fusion techniques to correct and improve data quality from the cheaper sensors. They shall also develop an open technology solution to obtain and quality secure data from different AQ sensors, so that municipalities and other users can obtain AQ data in satisfying quality.
Many municipalities in Norway would like to measure air quality (AQ) in their local environment and share this information with their citizens.
However, official monitoring stations are quite expensive in acquisition and maintenance, therefore only a limited number of these stations are set up in Norwegian municipalities.
As alternative, more simple and cheap air quality sensors could be used that are easier to buy from a range of manufacturers. The challenge for these kind of sensors is the relative high uncertainty around the quality of their data. In addition, they require good solutions for data communication and storage to be able to set together AQ information from a range of different sensors and thus get a good overview of the AQ situation in real time.
The iFLINK project shall facilitate for monitoring AQ at many different places at low costs. Scientists working in the project will develop and use new calibration and visualization methods based on machine learning and data fusion techniques to correct and improve data quality from the cheaper sensors. They shall also develop an open technology solution to obtain and quality secure data from different AQ sensors, so that municipalities and other users can obtain AQ data in satisfying quality.
The project idea is that anyone can use iFLINK results and technology to develop real time services connected to AQ, climate change and noise pollution. Municipalities are most important supporters and partners in the project, first pilots will be carried out in the participating municipalities Oslo (project lead), Bergen, Bærum, Drammen and Kristiansand.