SHIFT PLASTICS: Handling Plastics in Aquaculture

SHIFT PLASTICS will create sustainable circular value chains for handling plastics in the fisheries and aquaculture sector. 

Plastic pollution has serious impacts on our natural environment especially an impact connected to the formation of micro- and nanoplastics. We will solve the most problematic issues that the industries have regarding handling of plastics which is associated with complex material compositions (e.g., copper-impregnated nets and combinations of plastics and steel core ropes). Seven research institutions are involved, which have expertise in technology, policy, and circular value chains, and as many as 20 other actors - equipment manufacturers, industrial partners, the recycling industry, public partners, and interest groups take part in the project. One key pilar with the project is that scientist will investigate how one can technologically solve challenges with problematic plastic gear equipment, currently used in fisheries and aquaculture sector, with better and more optimal recycling solutions, and by use of new materials such as bioplastics. The scientist will also investigate how policy and incentives should be directed towards more benign designs that increase sustainability, product length, reuse, and recycling. Where the aim is to find policies and regulations should prevent the product from being discarded for energy recovery and depositing. Scientist will cooperate closely with equipment producers, industrial partners, the recycling industry, public partners and third sector partners to create sustainable circular economy value chains for handling plastics in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.

BIOREGION INSTITUTE will focus on building on design, service model, and systems thinking using Design Thinking approach to unpick complex societal issues. Design Thinking is a useful tool to understand user needs, while service and systems thinking focuses on the organisation and whole value chain level. By breaking-down complex issues and fully understanding them in simple manageable ways, we will co-create a set of agreed principles, which will underpin the creation of more circular and innovative solutions to the project issue(s). For example, we can create a synergised and holistic integration of circular thinking and devise activities and outcomes across the whole service value chain (end-to-end) rather than in a silo, product-specific approach.

Categories
Bio-polymers
New material scenarios
Design Thinking

Timeline
Active

Location
Bergen, Norway

Partners
Vestlandforsking
Sintef Ocean
NTNU
HVL
UiO
NRI

Research team
Alexandre Bau
Blandine Zaba

Website
shiftplastics.com