A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Microplastic fromcast rubber granulate andgranulate-free artificial grass surfaces
This assignment, commissioned by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, focused on expanding knowledge about the dispersion of microplastics from cast rubber and granulate-free artificial grass surfaces by supplementing previous studies with new measurements and calculations. The goal was to improve estimates of how much these sources contribute to microplastics nationally and to identify strategies to better prevent leakage into the environment.To our knowledge, this is the first time this method has been used. The method allowed us to quantify the leakage of microplastics from cast rubber surfaces and granulate-free artificial grass surfaces in wash water from cleaning machines specifically adapted for these types of surface. By analysing a well-mixed subset of wash water and using information on the size of cleaned surface areas, the leakage of microplastics from these materials per unit area was determined to be 0.4–20 g/m2per year for granulate-free artificial grass and 0.6–48 g/m2 per year for rubber surfaces. The variation between different surfaces is, however, very high and the uncertainty in both measurements and analysis is high. This is a level of dispersion on par with a road surface with an annual mean daily traffic of 5,500–13,000 vehicles, which is estimated to be 56 g microplastic/m2. Some artificial grass surfaces release their artificial grass much more easily than others (about 50 times easier). This is why standardised methods for identifying high-emission artificial grass surfaces should be developed. Well-designed and well-maintained granulate-free artificial grass surfaces are likely to meet the EU’s proposed threshold limit for dispersion of microplastics at 7 g/m2 per year.Based on municipal surveys, supplier data and GIS analyses, Sweden’s total area of cast rubber surface is estimated to be 1,200,000 m2 in 2020, of which approx. 550,000 m2 is on playgrounds and approx. 650,000 m2 is on sports pitches. Previous studies looked at Sweden’s total area of granulate-free artificial ...
Microplastic fromcast rubber granulate andgranulate-free artificial grass surfaces
This assignment, commissioned by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, focused on expanding knowledge about the dispersion of microplastics from cast rubber and granulate-free artificial grass surfaces by supplementing previous studies with new measurements and calculations. The goal was to improve estimates of how much these sources contribute to microplastics nationally and to identify strategies to better prevent leakage into the environment.To our knowledge, this is the first time this method has been used. The method allowed us to quantify the leakage of microplastics from cast rubber surfaces and granulate-free artificial grass surfaces in wash water from cleaning machines specifically adapted for these types of surface. By analysing a well-mixed subset of wash water and using information on the size of cleaned surface areas, the leakage of microplastics from these materials per unit area was determined to be 0.4–20 g/m2per year for granulate-free artificial grass and 0.6–48 g/m2 per year for rubber surfaces. The variation between different surfaces is, however, very high and the uncertainty in both measurements and analysis is high. This is a level of dispersion on par with a road surface with an annual mean daily traffic of 5,500–13,000 vehicles, which is estimated to be 56 g microplastic/m2. Some artificial grass surfaces release their artificial grass much more easily than others (about 50 times easier). This is why standardised methods for identifying high-emission artificial grass surfaces should be developed. Well-designed and well-maintained granulate-free artificial grass surfaces are likely to meet the EU’s proposed threshold limit for dispersion of microplastics at 7 g/m2 per year.Based on municipal surveys, supplier data and GIS analyses, Sweden’s total area of cast rubber surface is estimated to be 1,200,000 m2 in 2020, of which approx. 550,000 m2 is on playgrounds and approx. 650,000 m2 is on sports pitches. Previous studies looked at Sweden’s total area of granulate-free artificial ...
Microplastic fromcast rubber granulate andgranulate-free artificial grass surfaces
Olshammar, Mikael (author) / Graae, Lisette (author) / Robijn, Ardo (author) / Nilsson, Fritjof (author)
2021-01-01
7021
Paper
Electronic Resource
English
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