ActionOceanPlasticWaste
Action Ocean Plastic Waste
Plastic pollution has reached all the world's oceans, fueled by many million additional pieces of plastic entering the seven seas every single day. From macroplastics to microplastics, to chemicals leaching from the debris, ocean plastic waste is detrimental to the health of the Blue Planet.
Are you feeding the plastic monster?
In accordance with NTNU's Knowledge for a better world, the Strategic Research Areas NTNU Oceans and NTNU Sustainability jointly support Action Ocean Plastic Waste, aiming to stimulate awareness, facilitate research, disseminate knowledge, and inspire action in pursuit of UN SDG 14 and its targets - engaging researchers, students, industry, NGOs, and other stakeholders across disciplines, organizations, borders, and cultures.
For questions or suggestions regarding this initiative, please contact Karl Klingsheim.
Interns for Sustainability, funded by The Norwegian Retailers’ Environment Fund, aims to inspire and motivate students and young researchers to engage in topics related to combatting Ocean Plastic Waste – by providing relevant information, global networking opportunities, and access to projects with external partners.
SANO Exchange Program 2020-2023 is operated jointly with the Sustainable Seas Trust in South Africa. Each year, a new cohort of participants works in teams across academic, social, geographic, cultural and legislative boundaries to combat plastic waste and prevent marine pollution.
More about the SANO Exchange Program
Summary of active projects in SANO cohort 3.
Report: The human dimension of plastic pollution in South Africa.
Interested in doing your thesis on an Ocean Plastic Waste related topic?
You can work with your supervisor and join the AOPW network for more support, resources and possible outreach based on your work.
Examples of student project work
Experts in Teamwork (EiT) at NTNU is a master's degree course where students develop their interdisciplinary collaboration skills. The course is compulsory for all students at master's level at NTNU. Each student will be part of an interdisciplinary group that will face major, real societal challenges. The students will utilize the interdisciplinary competence in the group to solve a specific project. At the same time, during the work, they will reflect on how the actual collaboration on the project works.
EiT villages related to plastics in the ocean:
Researchers from all campuses at NTNU are involved in projects and programs related to Ocean Plastic Waste:
Sweet Spot
is a collaboration project to identify the primary sources and hot-spot areas of plastic pollution in Norwegian waters. Adopting an interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach, the project aims at building on current research activities at NTNU to investigate transformative solutions to the marine plastic problem. NTNU contact: Siv Marina Flø Grimstad
MAPLE
MAPLE (Marine Plastic Pollution: Environmental impact and life cycle scenarios) focuses on marine plastic pollution and its environmental impacts in Trondheimsfjord and the outer central coast of Norway. We combine field studies, laboratory studies and computer modelling in an interdisciplinary approach to understand this complex problem. NTNU contact: Francesca Verones
PlastOPol
Prediction Model for Ocean Plastic Policy (PlastOPol) aims to develop prediction models to trace and analyze marine plastic waste flows and provide support for policy makers and citizens in developing and implementing mitigation measures.
Blue Circular Economy
The Blue Circular Economy is a transnational project funded by the Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme, that helps Small and Medium-Sized
enterprises (SMEs) offering products and services, within fishing gear recycling solutions, to attain a great market reach.
Circular Ocean
Inspiring Communities to realise the hidden economic opportunities of discarded fishing nets and ropes in the Northern Periphery & Arctic region.
Atlantis
The ATLANTIS project is working on developing models to quantify human impacts on the marine ecosystem within the framework of Life Cycle Impact Assessment. We focus on plastic pollution and marine invasive species and aim to develop our models in a global, spatially-differentiated way. ATLANTIS has been funded by the European Research Commission. NTNU contact: Francesca Verones
MarILCA
This project will allow to integrate potential environmental impacts of marine litter, especially plastic, in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results. This will lead to a more comprehensive picture of potential environmental impacts in order to identify trade-offs associated with the use of plastic and other materials in a product system. NTNU contact: Francesca Verones
FARE
The First steps towards an Assessment of plastic Risk to the Norwegian Environment project will enhance scientific knowledge and management of plastic debris in Norway by producing a toolbox for assessing the quality of macro- and microplastic exposure and effects data. NTNU contact: Martin Wagner
REVEAL
focuses on studying how small microplastic (sMP; <100µm) and nanoplastic (NP; <1µm) particles are formed through the degradation of larger plastic items, and how these particles behave as they are transported from freshwater, through coastal brackish waters, and into the marine environment.
EnviroChemistry Lab
The lab’s scope of research includes understanding environmental sources, pathways, distribution, dynamics and fate of chemical pollutants from macro- and micro-plastics. Current studies include biomonitoring of chlorinated, brominated and fluorinated organic compounds, phenolic endocrine disruptors, and other emerging environmental contaminants related to plastic for characterizing human and wildlife exposure pathways, and to allow evaluation of sources, pathways and risks. NTNU contact: Alexandros Asimakopoulos
ENVITOX
ENVITOX performs research on the occurrence and effects of a broad range of pollutants within biological systems from the molecular to the population level, using field sampling, controlled experiments (in vitro and in vivo) as well as mathematical modeling.We also investigate how plastics and other synthetic agents (e.g., endocrine disrupting chemicals) affect human and ecosystem health. NTNU contact: Bjørn Munro Jenssen
Mausund Fieldstation
Mausund Fieldstation develops methods, tools, and processes for combatting marine pollution. Throughout the year, employees and volunteers remove marine litter from beaches, islands, and coastal areas in the Trøndelag region. Hands-on experiences and on-site location form the basis for projects on education, research, and innovation. Results, data, and general knowledge are shared freely and actively disseminated in reports, at conferences, and during school visits.
Shift-Plastics
develops sustainable and circular concepts for handling plastics from fisheries and aquaculture. NTNU contact: Paritosh Deshpande.
GGGI - Global Ghost Gear Initiative
Protecting our ocean and the life within it. Ghost gear refers to any fishing gear that has been abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded, and is the most harmful form of marine debris. There are many reasons why fishing gear can be lost or abandoned, including severe weather, snags beneath the surface, conflict with other gear, interaction with other vessels and, rarely, intentional discard when no other options are available. NTNU contact: Paritosh Deshpande.
NTNU theses (in searchable XLS format)
SYSTEMIQ: Publications
- Towards Ending Plastic Pollution by 2040 (September 2023)
- Achieving Circularity (March 2023)
- ReShaping Plastics (April 2022)
- Breaking the Plastic Wave (July 2020)
Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund: Plastsimulator
EIA - Environmental Investigation Agency:
- Clean-ups or clean-washing? How plastic pollution clean-up technology can actually harm the environment and obstruct policy progress (October 2023)
- Untangled: The plastics treaty’s critical role in tackling fishing gear (May 2023)
- Ghosts in the ocean – it’s time to take on plastic pollution from the fishing industry (June 2020)
- Lost at Sea: The urgent need to tackle marine litter (October 2015)
GRID Arendal: Publications
South Africa - Norway Exchange Program (2020-2023):
- SANO cohort 3 poster presentations (August 2023)
- SANO webinars cohort 3 (February-March 2023)
- SANO cohort 2 team presentations (May 2022)
- SANO webinars cohort 2 (February-March 2022)
- SANO webinars cohort 1 (February-March 2021)
- SANO kickoff workshop cohort 1 (February 2021)
- Sustainable Seas Trust: African Marine Waste Network
In a circular economy (CE) perspective, waste is a result of faulty design of products and services. Simply put, waste are resources gone astray. CE is a systematic approach to economic development that benefits businesses, society, and the environment in different ways. One such way is through value realization in waste management systems.
Africa is currently the second most polluted continent (after Asia), and the only continent with a growing population - which inevitably produces more waste. An increasing number of people in Africa is destined to live below the poverty line, i.e. on less than US$ 1.90 per day. At the same time, UN's Africa Waste Management Outlook stipulates the intrinsic value of municipal waste discarded in Africa alone to exceed US$ 8 billion every year.
In other words, post-consumer plastics represent a readily available and low-cost "feedstock" for entrepreneurs aspiring to generate a profit and create new jobs - while saving the planet in the process. Below please find examples of innovative projects around the world that, hopefully, will inspire people to take action in your neighbourhood.
For additions, suggestions, or comments, please email Karl Klingsheim.
Circular Plastics 2023-2026, sponsored by Norwegian Retailers’ Environment Fund, aims to encourage more circular usage of plastics - by motivating and facilitating students, researchers, businesses, and others to interact across disciplines and organizations. Priority will be given to students who are preparing for the final year towards their master’s degrees. Each summer project will engage one (or more) external problem owner(s), an interdisciplinary team of 3-5 students, and one (or more) academic advisor(s) from NTNU – who will also provide guidance regarding topics for subsequent project work and master thesis.
Activities 2023:
- Posters from internships and summer jobs 2023.
- Plastdagen 2023 on 12 October at Dokkhuset.
- Plastdagen 2023 Unveiling Solutions: Dive into Plastic Pollution Research.
Activities 2024 (save the dates):
- Availability of summer internships will be announced in January.
- Application deadline 15 February.
- Plastdagen 2024 in Ålesund 26 September.
- Plastdagen 2024 in Trondheim 3 October.
If you are interested, please contact prof Karl Klingsheim.
Business Hub for Sustainability (BH4S) originates from the competence environment in Møre og Romsdal county in Norway. The main goal is to develop knowledge, skills and foster cooperation to transform businesses through business models that contribute to solving the challenges highlighted in the UN’s Sustainable Development goals for 2030.
- One way for organizations to contribute to the CE is through circular economy business models (CEBM). CEBMs work to reduce resource use and waste within production, but also to extend product life cycles and employ strategies that allow the consumer to do more than buy, use and dispose.
Circular Chains in Ocean Plastics 2022-2026 (CirCOP) is located at NTNU Ålesund. More information.
PLASTICENE: The role of humans in the life of plastic. Plasticene develops tools for increased resource utilisation, circularity and regulatory support of plastic use in Norway. Plastic waste and emissions of plastic to nature represent a major societal challenge, and increased knowledge of the plastic resource flow is essential for developing tools for increased resource utilisation, circularity and regulatory support of plastic use. PLASTICENE will study plastic material flow and composition in Norway and thereby contribute to the knowledge needed for e.g. designing circular plastic business models and finding the most effective pathways for policy for mitigation of plastic pollution.
GRID-Arendal November 2023: Science-Policy Interface for Plastic Pollution
UNEP September 2023: An Opportunity to End Plastic Pollution: A Global International Legally Binding Instrument (Perspective Series Issue No. 44)
UNEP July 2023: Intervention Areas (Topic)
UNEP July 2023: Ongoing Projects (Topic)
UNEP July 2023: About the One Plastics Initiative (Topic)
UNEP July 2023: New app helps young people turn tide on plastic pollution (Story)
UNEP May 2023: What you need to know about the plastic treaty negotiations in Paris this week (Story)
UNEP May 2023: Chemicals in plastics (Topic)
UNEP May 2023: Chemicals in Plastics - A technical report (Report)
UNEP May 2023: Turning off the Tap: How the world can end plastic pollution and create a circular economy (Flagship Report)
UNEP April 2023: Everything you need to know about plastic pollution (Story)
UNEP October 2021: From Pollution to Solution: A global assessment of marine litter and plastic pollution (Flagship Report)
During the Fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2) in March 2022, governments agreed to adopt an ambitious new agreement, with specific legally-binding provisions and obligations to prevent and remediate plastic pollution and its toxic impacts - the UN Plastics Treaty.
Scientists’ Declaration on the Need for Governance of Plastics Throughout their Lifecycles.
Scientists' Network for an Effective Plastics Treaty (SNEPT) - Membership Form.
Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution - First Session.
The EU is paving the way for a global agreement on plastics, to support the global shift towards a circular economy - Global Action on Plastics.
The High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, co-chaired by Norway and Rwanda, is committed to develop an ambitious international legally binding instrument based on a comprehensive and circular approach that ensures urgent action and effective interventions along the full lifecycle of plastics.
Established by the Norwegian Prime Minister in 2018, the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel) of world leaders is working to build momentum towards a sustainable ocean economy in which effective protection, sustainable production and equitable prosperity go hand-in-hand. Without action, the annual flow of plastic into the ocean will nearly triple by 2040, to 29 million metric tons.
The primarily mission of the Plastic Pact is to reduce plastic pollution today and shape a revolutionary Plastic Pact between Citizens, Companies, Cities and Countries by 2030!
Gemini forskningsnytt 2023 om plast (nyeste først):
- Forskerne ble overrasket da de undersøkte giftigheten i vanlige plastprodukter
- Nytenkning om bistand gir grønn innovasjon
- Ny guide skal hjelpe sjømatindustrien å bli mer miljøvennlig
- Kan bruk av desinfeksjonsmidler gi antibiotikaresistens?
- Fant over 20 000 ukjente kjemikalier i en enkelt leke av plast
- Kan mikroplast benyttes til å lage betong?
- Plasten i havet kan spre antibiotikaresistens
- Byggenæringen må gjenbruke plastisolasjon fra riving
- Nå skal oppdrettsnæringen bli god på gjenbruk av plast
- Enzymer fra bakterier og sopp bryter ned plast
- Hvor mye plast bruker vi, egentlig?
- Tomme snusbokser skal bli nye produkter
- Tang og tare kan bidra til reduserte klimagassutslipp
- Forskere vil gi nytt liv til havbruksplasten
- 9 ting du bør vite om mikroplast
- Nanorør tiltrekker seg forurensende stoffer
- Forsker på mikroplastens mørke sider
Handelens Miljøfond:
- Fakta og kunnskap om plast
- Kunnskapsrapporter om plast og miljø
- Plastsimulator
- Prosjekter til inspirasjon
Plast i havbruk: Praktisk talt plast
Resirkulering av plast: Oceanize AS
Produkter av resirkulert plast: Plasteriet AS
Prosjektet "Sirkulær plast": Postere & Plastdagen 2023
NRK TV 2023:
- "Spør naturen" - 6. Reparere
NRK TV-serie 2022 - "Hvorfor plast?":
NRK TV-serie 2021 - "Plasthavet":
NRK TV-serie 2018 - "Planet Plast":
NRK TV 2017 - "Viten og Vilje": Plasthavet
NRK artikler (nyeste først) - Plast i havet:
- Anne ryddet mengder med brøytestikker av plast: – Et stort søppelproblem
- Ny studie: Billioner av plastpartikler i havet
- Fant plast i pølsa: – Ble helt forferdet
- Har plukket 12.000 tonn forsøpling i Norge: Bare en dråpe i havet
- EU vil gjere det ulovleg å selje grønsaker i plast
- Tannbørste-søppel kan gi løsning for plastkrisa
- Forskarar skal lære å resirkulere plast av larvar
- Har studert plast i naturen: – Vi har ikke mange år på oss for å finne løsninger på dette
- Plastmarerittet - Hjelp, jeg drukner i plast. Er det land i sikte?
- Forskere har fått nok: Krever maksgrense for plastproduksjon
- Mikroplast fra Europa går i en evig «loop» via kysten av Norge og opp i Nordishavet
- Plastplukkeren John: – Nok plast til å plukke i 500 år til
- Insekta bygger hus av mikroplast: – Det kjennest apokalyptisk