factsheets
Factsheet 8: Biodegradability of bioplastics - Correct disposal depends on a number of factors
Unlike conventional plastics, many bioplastics are biodegradable. This means that there are microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi that can absorb and metabolize these bioplastics as a source of energy.
Factsheet 5.2: Evaluation of treatment processes for the removal of microplastics from industrial wastewater - A comparison of processes based on different criteria using benefit analysis
Plastics can be discharged into the environment through industrial wastewater. To prevent this, special processes for the separation of plastics have been developed that can be integrated into industrial wastewater treatment plants.
Factsheet 11: Microplastics in wastewater treatment - Development of sampling and analysis methods for detection of input quantities into surface waters
It is not easy to determine how much microplastic is contained in wastewater and sewage sludge. In addition to plastic, countless other particles and substances are present. To reliably determine the concentration of microplastic particles, complex procedures for sampling as well as for removal of foreign substances and analysis of the microplastic particles are required.
Factsheet 7.2: Microplastics in the aquatic food web - Impact and transfer analysis based on the example of roundworms (nematodes)
"To assess the ecologic danger posed by microplastics, one must also consider indirect effects in the food web", say Sebastian Höss (Ecossa) and Marie-Theres Rauchschwalbe (Bielefeld University). The researchers from the joint project MikroPlaTaS looked at these effects using nematodes as an example.
Factsheet 7.1: Microplastics around dams - How do plastic particles behave in reservoirs?
Plastic is now ubiquitous not only in the sea but also in many inland waters. In certain areas, such as at barrages or in dams, the flow velocity decreases. As a result, the particles previously held in suspension by the current begin to sink to the bottom of the water and can then accumulate in the sediment.
Factsheet 6: Recycling PET packaging - Innovative PET recycling of multilayer composites
Factsheet 5.1: Removing microplastics from industrial wastewater - Process improvements through the use of flocculants
Microplastics can enter our wastewater along the entire value chain. Removal options exist primarily in wastewater treatment plants, here in the form of filtration, flotation and sedimentation processes. The removal performance of wastewater treatment plants determines how much microplastic is discharged into the environment.
Factsheet 4: Tracer-Based Sorting with Fluorescent Tracers - Efficient and flexible sorting of plastic packaging
The German Packaging Act calls for a significant increase in recycling rates for plastics. In order to be able to produce high-quality recyclates, plastic articles must be separated by type. However, there is currently a lack of satisfactory identification options for the many different plastics.
Factsheet 3: Purchasing unpackaged products - Results of a customer survey
We encounter plastic in many forms and functions in everyday life. Especially in supermarkets, extensive plastic packaging often catches the eye of consumers. However, the desire to shop with less packaging does not always translate into the use of more sustainable products.