FanpLESStic-sea – Initiatiatives to remove microplastics before they enter the sea

January 2019 -
December 2021
Uncompleted
2. Natural resources 2.1 Clear waters

FanpLESStic-sea

Microplastics must be stopped from entering the sea. They stem from many sources, including car tires, waste disposal, textiles and cosmetics. But there is a need to better understand the sources and pathways of microplastics when assessing the efficiency of measures to treat microplastics and improving policies. FanpLESStic-sea provides tools to municipalities, national policy makers, and water utilities to get to work. The project sets up a model to map local pathways of microplastics, pilots removal technologies and defines innovative governance frameworks to reduce microplastics.

Summary

Microplastic pollution

Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic, coming from e.g. cosmetics, clothes and bottles, that pollute the Baltic Sea and drinking water. The extent of pollution and consequences for the natural ecosystem have not been yet examined. There is also a knowledge gap on possible removal technologies and a lack of policy framework to support prevention and removal activities. The focus of the project FanpLESStic-sea is to track the sources of microplastics as a means of preventing microplastics from entering the sea.

FanpLESStic-sea project involves partner organisations in eight countries around the Baltic Sea, i.e. Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia. It works with municipalities, water utilities and associations, national policy makers and research communities.

What is FanpLESStic-sea about?

The project FanpLESStic-sea improves the knowledge where microplastics come from and what their transport pathways are. The project also sets up a model to understand and better visualize the microplastic pathways. New technologies can prevent or reduce microplastic leakage into watercourses. Therefore, the project partners evaluate and pilot methods for filtering microplastics away, removing microplastics from stormwater, and implementing sustainable drainage solutions.

The project also defines innovative governance frameworks to better engage decision makers and other relevant players in implementing cost-effective methods to reduce microplastics. These include locally adapted investment proposals and plans for each partner’s region.

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Budgets

Total
€ 2.97
million
Erdf
€ 2.04
million
Eni + Russia
€ 0.09
million
Norway
€ 0.13
million

PARTNERS

CONTACTS

Project manager

Sweden Water Research

Jesper König

46 735 180 982

Legal representative

Sweden Water Research (SWR)

Henrik Aspegren

46 730 323056

Financial manager

Sweden Water Research, SWR

Carina Hertzman

004610515 10 15

Communication manager

Sweden Water Research, SWR

Malin Nydesjö

+46406350167