The Norwegian research organisation SINTEF will investigate whether rare earth element minerals contribute to pollution in costal areas. Research scientists from Norway, Denmark and Germany are taking part in the project.
Almost all research on plastic contamination in water systems focuses on oceans. But the biggest problem is plastic that ends up in freshwater ecosystems, according to an NTNU biologist.
Every year, an estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic waste blows, falls or flows into the world’s oceans. Earlier this autumn, participants in the annual Svalbard Course plucked up 512 kg of the stuff from just one beach in two hours.
