Project description
Innovative solutions to deal with plastics in European rivers
The increasing presence of litter, plastics, and microplastics is causing further deterioration of European rivers. Consequently, it is necessary to develop new methods to control, prevent, and eliminate this pollution. The EU-funded UPSTREAM project is dedicated to addressing the challenges associated with monitoring, preventing, eliminating, and recycling litter, plastics, and microplastics. The project will showcase 14 solutions implemented at five European demonstration sites. These sites include four wastewater treatment plants connected to seven rivers in five countries, as well as a testing area on the Danube in Serbia. Additionally, the project will facilitate the creation of an extensive database of knowledge and sustainable business models, with a focus on ensuring wide accessibility to this information. Replication across Europe will be enhanced by EUR 300k allocated in cascade funding.
Objective
UPSTREAM addresses the targets of the Mission by overcoming challenges related to the monitoring, prevention, elimination, and valorisation of litter (L), plastics (P), and microplastics (MP). Demonstrating a suite of 14 solutions addressing pollution at every step in the water system, connected to 7 rivers in 5 countries, will enable the co-creation of an extensive database of knowledge and sustainable business models with a focus on making information as widely accessible as possible. The involvement of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) owners, industrial partners with existing supply chains, innovative SMEs, and a water cluster association will ensure exploitation of the project solutions, while €500k in cascade funding will enhance replication across Europe. The UPSTREAM consortium will thus establish circular value chains with the potential to decrease plastic litter by 50% and MP pollution by 30%.
The advances in UPSTREAM are based on best-in-world innovations, including:
• Standardised, rapid monitoring techniques able to detect MP down to sizes >25 μm
• Bio-based, biodegradable plastics the stop the formation of MP in consumer products and WWTPs themselves
• Elimination of more than 90% MP within WWTPs from both sludge and effluent streams
• Innovative floating platforms capable of removing >83% of L, P, and MP directly from rivers at both the surface and riverbed, without creating noise pollution or harming ecosystems
• Production of relevant monomers from recovered plastics through both advanced fractionation and depolymerisation and biotransformation
UPSTREAM represents a pan-European consortium with 5 demo sites across Europe, including 4 WWTPs (UK, ES, DE, IT), plus a testing area on the Danube in Serbia. The consortium is strengthened by top European RTOs, the world leader in sustainable bioplastics development, Novamont, and completed by partners dedicated to creating a digital knowledge sharing platform and engaging with citizens and stakeholders.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processeswastewater treatment processes
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementbusiness models
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbioplastics
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-IA - HORIZON Innovation ActionsCoordinator
50720 Zaragoza
Spain
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Participants (15)
08225 Terrassa
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2400 Mol
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1000 Ljubljana
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2829 516 Caparica
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21000 Novi Sad
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81100 Mytilini
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76187 Karlsruhe
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
8131 TE Wijhe
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
50720 Zaragoza
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
75015 Paris
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
43510 Saint-Jean-Lachalm
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
28100 Novara
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50018 Zaragoza
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
50003 Zaragoza
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20142 Milano
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Partners (6)
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
WS13 6HX Lichfield
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
B15 2TT Birmingham
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
OX10 8BB Oxford
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
DE75 7SN Heanor
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
B168JB BIRMINGHAM
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
CV1 2LZ Coventry
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