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H2020Staff exchange2017–2022

INTERWASTE · Synergising International Research Studies into the Environmental Fate and Behaviour of Toxic Organic Chemicals in the Waste Stream

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2017-01-01 → 2022-06-30
EU contribution
€832,500
Participants
27
Scheme
MSCA-RISE

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Synergising International Research Studies into the Environmental Fate and Behaviour of Toxic Organic Chemicals in the Waste Stream

The overall vision of INTERWASTE was to develop scientific understanding of environmental contamination with toxic organic chemicals (specifically flame retardants (FRs) and pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs)) arising from their presence in waste. Examples include the presence of banned FRs in plastic children's toys as a result of such items containing recycled plastics originally treated with FRs. Concerns also exist that facilities for processing waste may emit such banned chemicals to the environment, exposing wildlife and humans. Specific research objectives of INTERWASTE include: (a) exchange of knowledge of and best practice in methods for rapid, cost-effective identification of waste containing restricted FRs; (b) developing scientific understanding of environmental contamination due to processing of waste items containing FRs; and (c) furthering understanding of the sources of PPCPs and FRs in the sewage system to provide useful insights into human exposure to such chemicals. INTERWASTE has exchanged best practice in the techniques required to measure FRs and PPCPs, and evaluated the capability of INTERWASTE participants and other organisations to do so, highlighting some strengths but also areas where improvements are required. Particular achievements of INTERWASTE include 35 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals. It also disseminated best practice in use of wastewater based epidemiology as a tool for monitoring human exposure to FRs and PPCPs, thereby increasing knowledge of human exposure to these chemicals. The project also enhanced the career development of ~70 early career researchers, equipping them with new skills unobtainable at their employing institution, and building their personal research networks.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

The overall vision of INTERWASTE is to develop scientific understanding of issues related to environmental contamination with toxic organic chemicals (specifically flame retardants (FRs) and pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs)) arising from their presence in the waste stream. Specific research objectives include: (a) exchange of knowledge of and best practice in methods for rapid and cost-effective identification of waste items containing restricted FRs; (b) developing scientific understanding of environmental contamination due to processing of waste items containing FRs; and (c) furthering understanding of the sources of PPCPs and FRs in the sewerage system. To facilitate such research on the global level required, INTERWASTE will exchange best practice in the analytical chemistry techniques required to study FRs and PPCPs, and evaluate the measurement capability of INTERWASTE participants via an interlaboratory comparison. INTERWASTE's vision will be achieved via a co-ordinated programme of collaboration and research secondments between world-leading research groups both within and outside the EU; coupled with annual workshops to discuss the latest findings. The research programme will exploit the complementary expertise of the consortium members, and in so doing foster synergies. Cross-sectoral interaction and knowledge sharing will be achieved via the participation of beneficiaries and partner organisations from both academic and non-academic sectors. All secondments and workshops will be conducted within a framework designed to maximise the training and career development benefits to participating staff by providing them with opportunities for knowledge and skills acquisition, with a particular (but not exclusive) focus on early career researchers. INTERWASTE's research and training programme is complemented by communication activities that will both disseminate project findings to scientific stakeholders, and engage the general public.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM · BirminghamCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
  • AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS · MadridSpain
  • CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL · SacramentoUnited States
  • CONSEJO NACIONAL DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Y TECNICAS (CONICET) · Buenos AiresArgentina
  • ENVIRONMENT CANADA · GatineauCanada
  • Guangzhou Institute of Geochemsitry, Chinese Academy of Sciences · GuangzhouChina
  • HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY · HONG KONGChina
  • Masarykova univerzita · BrnoCzechia
  • NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES · TsukubaJapan
  • NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY · PanajiIndia
  • ONTARIO MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE · TorontoCanada
  • STICHTING VU · AmsterdamNetherlands
  • STIFTELSEN NORGES GEOTEKNISKE INSTITUTT · OsloNorway
  • STOCKHOLMS UNIVERSITET · StockholmSweden
  • SUEZ VYUZITI ZDROJU AS · PrahaCzechia
  • THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO · TorontoCanada
  • THE TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY · BloomingtonUnited States
  • THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA · ManitobaCanada
  • THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND · BrisbaneAustralia
  • TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY · PretoriaSouth Africa
  • TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY · BEIJINGChina
  • UNIVERSIDAD DE CARTAGENA · CARTAGENAColombia
  • UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI · TarragonaSpain
  • UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPEN · AntwerpenBelgium
  • UNIVERSITY OF BATH · BATHUnited Kingdom
  • UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL · WestvilleSouth Africa
  • UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS-UNILAG · LagosNigeria

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union