Earlier this year, a joint Nordic project was launched to study plastic additives in the sea. These are collaborative projects between Aarhus University in Denmark, Nofima in Norway and Matís in Iceland. The project is funded by a joint Nordic working group on the sea, coastal areas and chemistry under the auspices of the Nordic Council of Ministers, and is expected to be completed in October 2021.
Background: It is estimated that up to 8 million tonnes of plastic waste will be released into the sea worldwide each year, and emissions are expected to increase in the coming years. Plastic is found in countless products, but a variety of chemical additives are added to the plastic so that it meets certain conditions or has certain properties. Plastic products that end up in the ocean gradually decompose into smaller particles and their structure and chemical composition change due to the decomposition. Chemical additives can be released from the plastic and lead to undesirable effects on the marine environment if they have harmful health effects. It is not yet known what the impact may be on human consumption of seafood and knowledge of what substances are added to the plastic, how much is released into the sea and the risk of these factors to the marine environment is deficient.
About the project: In this Nordic project, the residues of chemical additives in two products made from two common types of plastic, on the one hand polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and on the other hand polyurethane (PUR), will be examined and measured. The plastic will be crushed into micrometer small particles or so-called microplastic and placed, in water-permeable bags, in Samnangerfjörður near Bergen in Norway. It will be stored there from June to October 2020. After decomposition in the water, the types and amount of chemical additives in the plastic particles will be determined by chemical analysis methods and compared with the types and amounts in the original plastic. This will provide knowledge of what chemical additives are in the plastic and their possible tendency to be released into the marine environment. Based on the possible effects of the chemical additives on the marine environment and people, a list will be made of the additives that are measured and then ranked according to the risks they entail.
Dissemination: The results will be disseminated in a project report and in the Nordic co - operation network NordMar plastic. The aim is to use the results in teaching materials and as data to build on in various types of decision-making, in the plastics industry, in the plastics industry associations and distributors. In addition, the results will be presented and discussed with the Danish Environment Agency, in scientific articles and on partner websites and their social media.
The project manager of the project is Patrik Fauser at Department of Environmental Science at Aarhus University and Sophie Jensen is a contact at Matís. More information can be obtained from them.
The news can also be read in the original language here.