Tire particles

Tackling microplastics in the environment - evidence-based policy recommendations on pellet loss, tire abrasion, fibres, and paints

KALEH — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 13:21:39 +0000

Tackling microplastics in the environment - evidence-based policy recommendations on textile fibres, tire abrasion, and pellet loss KALEH Tue, 12/20/2022 - 14:21

Untertitel

09 March 2023, 09:00-15:00 CET | Brussels

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Beschreibung

The event brought together around 70 scientists, representatives from the EU institutions, as well as stakeholders from civil society and businesses to discuss the non-intentional release of microplastics into the environment.

RD Dr. Martin Dubiel (Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the European Union) opened the event and gave the introductory words of welcome. The welcome address was given by Dr. Frieder Kettemann from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. R. Andreas Kraemer, who moderated the event, gave a short overview on the current political framework regarding plastics and recent developments at different political levels.

In the introductory talk, Werner Bosmans (DG Environment) outlined the political mandate for (micro)plastics regulation at EU level, the relevant sources of the non-intentional release of microplastics into the environment and the existing regulatory framework for microplastics at the EU level. During the Q&A subsequently to the presentation, Mr. Bosmans emphasized that there is a lot more research needed with regards to sampling methodologies to gather information on the presence of microplastics in soils across the EU as well as how this could be monitored at member state level.

The first session addressed the issue of tire abrasion with presentations from Mag. Dr. Romana Hornek-Gausterer (Environment Agency Austria) and Prof. Dr. Ing. Matthias Barjenbruch (Technical University Berlin). Ms. Hornek-Gausterer focused on additives used in tires, more specifically on para-substituted phenylenediamines (PPDs). She concluded that environmental monitoring is needed to understand which substances/products are of concern and to learn about the occurrence, transport/fate and behavior in the environment for such particles and substances. Prof. Barjenbruch presented results from the RAU project on tire abrasion and suggested measures to reduce the entry of tire particles into the aquatic environment.

In the second session on textiles fibres, Dr. Korinna Altmann (Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, RUSEKU project) explained the results of washing machine tests with regard to the release of textile fibres from clothes such as shirts during typical washing processes with a household washing machine. The second presentation, held by Nicklas Gustavsson (Ramboll), dealt with geotextiles which are, for instance, used in road construction or for erosion control. Mr. Gustavsson highlighted the major research gaps that exist regarding the use of geotextiles and the potential discharge of microplastics during the use phase or while removing geotextiles from the environment.

The third session started with a presentation of Felix Weber (RheinMain University of Applied Sciences) and Luisa Barkmann-Metaj (Technical University of Darmstadt) who presented results from the EmiStop project on industrial microplastic and pellet loss. The two researchers presented their findings on industrial microplastic emissions at industrial sites and possible reduction measures. Afterwards, the presentation by Dr. Ulrike Braun (German Environment Agency [UBA]) and Dr. Nizar Benismail (Nestlé Quality Assurance Center Vittel) introduced the work of the joint ISO working group on microplastics of which both are active members. A challenge in the standardization work is the harmonization of standards that are currently developed in several different working groups.

In the last session, Dr. Saskia Ziemann (Project Management Agency Karlsruhe) presented the key messages from the German research focus “Plastics in the Environment”, while Prof. Dr. Christian Laforsch (University of Bayreuth) indicated future research needs that will – at least partially – be tackled by the Collaborative Research Centre 1357 Microplastics.

The event “Tackling microplastics in the environment” did take place on 9th March 2023 in the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the European Union in Brussels and was organized jointly by Ecologic Institute for the research focus “Plastics in the Environment – Sources • Sinks • Solutions” of Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Collaborative Research Centre 1357 Microplastics at the University of Bayreuth and the Interest Group Plastics of the EPA network.

Presentations (videos and presentation slides)

Werner Bosmans (European Commission, DG Environment)
Current EU initiatives to prevent microplastics in the environment, Presentation slides

Mag. Dr. Romana Hornek-Gausterer, (Environment Agency Austria)
Tire wear and substances of concern, Presentation slides

Prof. Dr. Ing. Matthias Barjenbruch (Technical University Berlin, Germany)
Measures to reduce the input of tire material into the environment, Presentation slides

Dr. Korinna Altmann (Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Germany)
Release of synthetic fibres during washing of typical household textiles: Findings from washing machine tests and resulting policy recommendations, Presentation slides

Nicklas Gustavsson (Ramboll, Sweden)
Geotextiles as a source of microplastics, Presentation slides

Luisa Barkmann-Metaj (Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany)
Felix Weber (RheinMain University of Applied Sciences, Germany)
Industrial microplastic and pellet loss: status quo and possible reduction measures, Presentation slides

Dr. Ulrike Braun (German Environment Agency [UBA])
Nizar Benismail (Nestlé Quality Assurance Center Vittel, France)
Legal regulation and standardisation of methods to investigate microplastics in the environment, Presentation slides

Dr. Saskia Ziemann (Project Management Agency Karlsruhe, Germany)
Key Messages of the BMBF Research Focus “Plastics in the Environment”, Presentation slides

Prof. Dr. Christian Laforsch (University Bayreuth, Germany)
Key Messages of the Collaborative Research Centre 1357 “Microplastics", Presentation slides

Location

Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the European Union, Rue Wiertz 77, 1000 Brussels

Date

09 March 2023

Event type

Research Focus Event

Attachments

Agenda

Information about the Speakers

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Quiz: Plastik in der Umwelt - Was wissen Sie?

Mandy — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 11:21:04 +0000

Quiz: Plastic in the Environment – What do you know? Mandy Thu, 01/14/2021 - 12:21

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Beschreibung

When I wash a polyester fleece jacket, can microplastics get into the water? How many climate-damaging greenhouse gases are released annually due to the global production of plastics and what is chemical recycling?

Plastics are all around us and make up an essential part of our daily lives. How much do we know about this material, its variety, the associated environmental problems and possible solutions? The quiz "Plastics in the environment - What do you know?" invites you to test your knowledge around the topic of plastics in five categories. Furthermore, the category "Questions for adults & children" contains questions suited for children.

The quiz was developed within this research focus. The quiz is available on this website and is suitable for all common browsers on computers and mobile devices.

Further Links

Link zum Quiz

Year

2020

Author

Mandy Hinzmann (Content)

Janna Vakili (Content)

Lena Aebli (Design)

Prasanna Ramesh (Programming)

Authors

Type of Result

educational material

Get a Grip

janna.vakili@ecologic.eu — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 14:13:46 +0000

Get a Grip janna.vakili@e… Tue, 02/11/2020 - 15:13

Untertitel

Tire abrasion on German roads

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Beschreibung

The event is postponed.

How can we address the largest problem tied to microplastics emission: tire abrasion?

This event of the joint research project "Plastikbudget" gives you the opportunity to collaborate with experts and develop citizen recommendations for politics.

Invited experts are:

Gerhard Dahmen (Strassen.NRW)
Jürgen Bertling (Fraunhofer Institute)
Steven Engler (Ruhr University Bochum)
Stefan Schweiger (Ruhr University Bochum)

Duration of the event: 10 am to 4 pm.

Participation is free of charge, food and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided. Places are limited; to register write an e-mail to stefan.schweiger@rub.de. The event will be held in German.

Location

Münster, Germany (Feuerstiege 16, 48163 Münster)

Organiser

Plastikbudget

Ruhr University Bochum

Joint Project

PlastikBudget

Date

21 March 2020

Event type

Joint Project Event

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RAU

KALEH — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 13:35:24 +0000

RAU KALEH Tue, 12/05/2017 - 14:35

Tyre Wear in the Environment

Plastics in the environment are an increasingly serious challenge. As macroplastics deteriorate, such as through tire abrasion, the resulting microplastics can enter the aquatic environment through a variety of entry points. As vehicle traffic increases, there is an inevitable increase in microplastics from worn tires ending up in the environment. The amount of tire abrasion and the resulting microplastics entering the aquatic environment via road runoff had not yet been sufficiently researched.

The joint research project RAU addressed this and comprehensively described tire particles throughout the useful service life of tires, closing the knowledge gaps on where particle loss occurs over the entire life cycle. The goal was to identify and assess the entry points of tire materials into the aquatic environment and to develop reduction measures. RAU then verified selected measures for reducing the emission of tire material into the aquatic environment. On the basis of various influencing factors, an evaluation matrix was developed for deriving the most suitable measures to reduce tire abrasion in different locations.

Key areas of work

Development of a sampling basket for fractional sampling of individual rain events
Analytical evaluation of environmental samples for tire abrasion
Measurement of abrasion, quantification of subsets and subsequent qualitative examination
Further development of the pollution load simulation
Optimise the street cleaning

Coordinator

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Barjenbruch
and Daniel Venghaus

Technical University of Berlin,
Institute for Civil Engineering,
Faculty VI Planning Building Environment,
Institute of Civil Engineering,
Chair of Urban Water Management /
TUB FG Siwawi
Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25
13355 Berlin
Tel.: +49 30 314 72247
e-mail: matthias.barjenbruch@tu-berlin.de

Website

https://www.siwawi.tu-berlin.de/menue/forschung/rau/parameter/en/

Partner Institutions

Technical University of Berlin, FG System Dynamics and Friction Physics / TUB FG Reibung

Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH / Continental

GKD – Gebr. Kufferath AG / GKD

Ingenieurgesellschaft Prof. Dr. Sieker mbH / IPS

WESSLING GmbH / WESSLING

Associated Partners

ADAC e.V. / ADAC

Berliner Stadtreinigung / BSR

Berliner Wasserbetriebe / BWB