GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

Following the zero pollution hierarchy, proposals under this topic are expected to identify a set of innovative, cost-effective and sustainable solutions to be tested, validated and demonstrated to prevent and minimise pollution from litter, plastics and microplastics in major European rivers that flow out into the European seas and in their catchment areas, taking into consideration land-river interactions through measures, such as:

• Upstream prevention of pollution from litter, plastics and microplastics;
• Substitutes or alternative less polluting substances and materials for the most prevalent litter, plastics and microplastics found in rivers;
• Solutions to prevent or eliminate litter, plastics and microplastics from rivers.

The project will select and test at least five innovative and cost-effective solutions developed under EU, national, regional programmes or privately funded, for preventing and/or eliminating litter, plastics and microplastics from rivers for their effectiveness in preventing and eliminating this pollution in European rivers and for their scalability in other areas. The five solutions will include both solutions preventing as well as solutions eliminating litter, plastics and microplastics from rivers. At least 2 solutions should focus on elimination of microplastics from rivers. Selected solutions for pollution prevention, elimination and remediation should not increase the level of anthropogenic underwater noise and air pollution.