Plastic is everywhere in the environment
We work with plastic flows – from production and design to usage, reuse and recycling. Our work helps reduce the environmental impacts of plastic, and increase the sustainable use of plastics.
Research and assignments for sustainable plastics use
IVL Swedish Environmental Institute has strong expertise in plastics, and can provide support and advice every step of the way towards sustainable plastics use.
Collection of data and analysis
We produce well-founded decision support, including surveys, statistics and analysis of flows for plastics – from production and usage to waste, treatment and dispersion of microplastics.
Risk and sustainability assessment
We help local governments and companies to risk-assess substances in products and waste; this is particularly important in reuse and recycling. We also conduct environmental assessments at the product and system levels.
Proposals for policies and measures
We conduct assignments and research projects in order to identify and analyze obstacles, and to propose and study policy measures for government agencies and businesses that lead to sustainable use of plastics.
A selection of our work in plastics
Circularity
Circular industrial plastic
Swedish industry uses large amounts of plastic packaging. Most is incinerated after a single use. The project Closing the loop of industrial plastics is developing solutions to close such circles, which would bring economic and environmental benefits.
Bio-plastics
Bio-plastics in Europe
Most plastics in the world are produced from fossil oil and a great deal of plastic waste ends up in the environment. In the project Bio-plastics Europe strategies and solutions for bio-based and biodegradable plastics are developed, as an alternative to conventional, fossil-based plastics.
Global goals
Increased recycling from industry and healthcare
By increasing the recycling of plastics, we help achieve the UN's global climate goals. Single-use plastics in healthcare and industry is an area with a lot of growth potential when it comes to recycling.
Tonnes of fishing gear is lost at sea
IVL has calculated how much fishing gear is lost annually in the Nordic countries. The study points to a huge environmental challenge, where knowledge is generally low. Many fishing gear contain plastics.
"As well as fish and other organisms getting caught in ghost nets, fishing gear increases volumes of litter and pollution from macro- and microplastics, and hazardous chemicals", says IVL researcher Mikaela Boltenstern.
The latest news in Plastics
Services offered by IVL in the field of plastics
IVL helps you develop solutions that help foster sustainable operations and a sustainable society.
Everything we do rests on a scientific foundation, and if you engage us as a consultant, you get all our research as part of the deal.
Contact IVL's plastics experts
Research in plastics
Research that fosters sustainable plastics use
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