Publications

Mapping Plastic and Plastic Additive Cycles in Coastal Countries: A Norwegian Case Study

Marhoon, Ahmed Mohamed Jaffar Marhoon A; Hernandez, Miguel Las Heras; Billy, Romain Guillaume; Mueller, Daniel Beat; Verones, Francesca

The growing environmental consequences caused by plastic pollution highlight the need for a better understanding of plastic polymer cycles and their associated additives. We present a novel, comprehensive top-down method using inflow-driven dynamic probabilistic material flow analysis (DPMFA) to map the plastic cycle in coastal countries. For the first time, we covered the progressive leaching of microplastics to the environment during the use phase of products and modeled the presence of 232 plastic additives. We applied this methodology to Norway and proposed initial release pathways to different environmental compartments. 758 kt of plastics distributed among 13 different polymers was introduced to the Norwegian economy in 2020, 4.4 Mt was present in in-use stocks, and 632 kt was wasted, of which 15.2 kt (2.4%) was released to the environment with a similar share of macro- and microplastics and 4.8 kt ended up in the ocean. Our study shows tire wear rubber as a highly pollutive microplastic source, while most macroplastics originated from consumer packaging with LDPE, PP, and PET as dominant polymers. Additionally, 75 kt of plastic additives was potentially released to the environment alongside these polymers. We emphasize that upstream measures, such as consumption reduction and changes in product design, would result in the most positive impact for limiting plastic pollution.

Monitoring of microplastics in the Norwegian environment (MIKRONOR) 2023

Alling, Vanja Karin Gunilla; Lund, Espen; Lusher, Amy Lorraine; Knight, Jemmima; Hjelset, Sverre; Singdahl-Larsen, Cecilie; Francés, Elena Martínez; Rødland, Elisabeth Strandbråten; Pakhomova, Svetlana; Snekkevik, Vilde Kloster; Consolaro, Chiara; Bavel, Bert van; Schmidt, Natascha; Herzke, Dorte

The MIKRONOR monitoring program aims to establish baseline levels of microplastics in the Norwegian environment and to identify potential sources and sinks. This third MIKRONOR report focuses mainly on results from air samples, including data on tyre wear particles (TWP), as well as river and fjord surface water samples, and their correlation to rainfall and river discharge levels. Additionally, it presents data from sand samples taken from an OSPAR beach in the outer Oslofjord. The results for 2023 provide evidence of the omnipresence of microplastics in the environment. However, levels were higher near cities and populated areas, with decreasing levels further from human activities. This trend was observed in both air and surface water samples. Sand samples from the OSPAR beach in the Oslofjord showed levels of microplastics comparable to, or slightly higher than studied eabches at Svalbard. Since no other beach studies have been conducted in the MIKRONOR program, it is difficult to determine typical microplastic levels on a beach in the outer Oslofjord. Determined levels of microplastics in the beach samples were comparable to levels in marine bottom sediment at remote areas along the coast and lower than levels in sediments from the Oslofjord. Main conclusions of this report highlight the need for further research into the processes that control the levels and variations of microplastics and TWPs, such as weather conditions, river discharge, and air mass movement. Sampling of different matrices should, where possible, be conducted using similar strategies and equipment to improve the comparability of results. Additionally, the high spatial and temporal variability between samples must be considered to determine the appropriate number of analyses needed to obtain reliable results.

Norsk institutt for vannforskning (NIVA)

Climate health risks to children and adolescents: exposures, policy and practice interventions

Graber, Juliette; Widmer, Kaja; Walker, Julia; Vounatsou, Penelope; Pozzoli, Luca

ETC/HE

Skadelige mengder bisfenoler lekker ut av forpakning til næringsmidler

Skaar, Jøran Solnes; Lysberg, Ingeborg Antonsen

Høysesong for dårlig luftkvalitet

Høiskar, Britt Ann Kåstad (interview subject); Brønn, Kathrine; Stenbek, Finn Børge (journalists)

Varsler dårlig luftkvalitet de neste dagene

Grythe, Henrik (interview subject); Stokholm, Ane Rostad (journalist)

In vitro toxicity testing of PFAS-based and PFAS-free coating materials for different industrial sectors

Longhin, Eleonora Marta

Comparison of Atmospheric Microplastic in remote and urban locations in Norway; occurence, composition and sources

Herzke, Dorte; Schmidt, Natascha; Schulze, Dorothea; Eckhardt, Sabine; Evangeliou, Nikolaos

Occurrence and backtracking of microplastic mass loads including tire wear particles in northern Atlantic air

Gossmann, Isabel; Herzke, Dorte; Held, Andreas; Schulz, Janina; Nikiforov, Vladimir; Georgi, Christoph; Evangeliou, Nikolaos; Eckhardt, Sabine; Gerdts, Gunnar; Wurl, Oliver; Scholz-Böttcher, Barbara

Modelled sources of airborne microplastics collected at a remote Southern Hemisphere site

Aves, Alex; Ruffell, Helena; Evangeliou, Nikolaos; Gaw, Sally; Revell, Laura E.

Airborne microplastics have emerged in recent years as ubiquitous atmospheric pollutants. However, data from the Southern Hemisphere, and remote regions in particular, are sparse. Here, we report airborne microplastic deposition fluxes measured during a five-week sampling campaign at a remote site in the foothills of the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Samples were collected over 24-hour periods for the first week and for 7-day periods thereafter. On average, atmospheric microplastic (MP) deposition fluxes were six times larger during the 24-hour sampling periods (150 MP m−2 day−1) than during the 7-day sampling periods (26 MP m−2 day−1), highlighting the importance of sampling frequency and deposition collector design to limit particle resuspension. Previous studies, many of which used weekly sampling frequencies or longer, may have substantially underestimated atmospheric microplastic deposition fluxes, depending on the study design. To identify likely sources of deposited microplastics, we performed simulations with a global dispersion model coupled with an emissions inventory of airborne microplastics. Modelled deposition fluxes are in good agreement with observations, highlighting the potential for this method in tracing sources of deposited microplastics globally. Modelling indicates that sea-spray was the dominant source when microplastics underwent long-range atmospheric transport, with a small contribution from road dust.

Glasopor Fredrikstad. Kartlegging av støvutslipp og effekter på ytre miljø. Vurdering av utslipp til luft i forbindelse med utslippssøknad.

Berglen, Tore Flatlandsmo; Weydahl, Torleif; Mortensen, Tore; Andresen, Erik; Grythe, Henrik

NILU har, på oppdrag fra Glasopor AS ved Onsøy i Fredrikstad, kartlagt utslipp av støv fra anlegget og effekter på ytre miljø. Bedriften ønsker å oppgradere anlegget og øke produksjonen og har søkt om ny utslippstillatelse. I den forbindelse har Statsforvalteren oppfølgende spørsmål med krav om dokumentasjon knyttet til utslipp av støv og påvirkning på ytre miljø. For å svare på disse spørsmålene har NILU gjennomført målinger, beregning av utslipp og spredningsberegninger. Rapporten skal inngå i dokumentasjonen som oversendes norske myndigheter.

NILU

Vedfyring kan gi farlig luft

Grythe, Henrik (interview subject); Aasen, Kristine Ramberg (journalist)