We contribute to the Global Sustainable Development Goals

October

Baltic Sea collaboration on PFAS in wastewater

With the support of the Swedish Institute, IVL is launching a project to increase knowledge about PFAS in wastewater and how we can reduce emissions into the Baltic Sea. Universities and research institutes from a number countries in the Baltic Sea region are participating. PFAS pollutants in the aquatic environment can be reduced by means of better sewage and sludge management, although knowledge levels in the countries around the Baltic Sea vary.

November

Transport planning not contributing to climate goals

Sweden’s ambitious environmental and climate policies are not achieving sufficient impact in infrastructure planning. This can be seen from a report from the research project Stafetten, conducted by IVL, Trivector and Lund University. Unclear targets, expansionary national traffic plans and old decisions regarding road development are some of the reasons for the transition being delayed.

Unique textile sorting plant goes into operation

The world’s first large-scale plant for automated textile sorting was inaugurated in November in Malmö. The machine, which is installed in Sysav’s plant, has a sorting capacity of 24,000 tonnes of textile per year and could revolutionise Swedish textile recycling. Several major Swedish textile, fashion and furniture companies, local authorities, charities, research institutes and public authorities are supporting the innovation platform – a total of 19 actors under the leadership of IVL. Read more on page 30.

Report on sustainable electromobility

What is required in order for electric road transport to be environmentally and socially sustainable? A report produced by IVL on behalf of the World Wide Fund for Nature WWF Sweden shows which sustainability aspects are important and proposes various measures. The industry needs to focus more on sustainable materials in vehicles and batteries, and these materials have to be recycled to a very great extent. In order to accelerate the transition to electric power, municipalities can introduce zero emission zones on a small scale as more electric vehicles enter the market.

Safer assessment of endocrine disruptors in construction products

IVL’s subsidiary Basta, along with actors in the construction sector, has developed a method for identifying endocrine disruptors in construction products. The method is based on three steps, all of which are described in a guide. Basta’s database is one of the largest in the sector, containing more than 160,000 articles. Including endocrine disruptors in the assessment of construction products is an important step for achieving sustainable construction.

Major investment in sustainable seafood

Food from the sea and lakes has a great future. At the end of the year, a new initiative entitled Blue Food – Centre for the Future of Seafood was launched, in which IVL is participating. This is the largest investment in Swedish seafood to date, with funding of MSEK 48 from the Swedish Research Council Formas. The vision is for the industry to grow to ten times its current size, and for the proportion of Swedish-produced seafood to be doubled.

Decreasing levels of dioxins offering hope to small-scale commercial fishing

A comprehensive survey of dioxins and PCBs in commercially caught fish in the Baltic Sea, Lake Vänern and Lake Vättern shows that the levels are gradually decreasing, but also that there are large differences in pollution levels between different catch areas. This is primarily due to natural factors such as differences in fat content and different growth rates of the fish. For example, there are higher levels of dioxins and PCBs in whitefish from Lake Vänern than in whitefish from Lake Vättern and the Gulf of Bothnia.

December

Measures reduced hazardous chemicals in preschools

Working in collaboration with the City of Stockholm, IVL has investigated how the levels of harmful chemicals in preschools can be reduced through various measures. The focus has been on endocrine disruptors, which can be found in everyday products. The results show that imposing requirements as regards building and interior materials can pay dividends. At the City of Stockholm, it is hoped that the study will provide guidance to other municipalities and preschools around the country.

NET ZERO 2045

MSEK 66 for Mistra Carbon Exit

In December, Mistra announced that the IVL-led research programme Mistra Carbon Exit is receiving funding for a second phase – specifically MSEK 66 over the next four years. The programme analyses and identifies the technical, economic and political challenges facing Sweden and proposes how Swedish industry could be transformed to meet the goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.

Project should lead the way to large-scale recycling of lithium-ion batteries

The number of electric vehicles is increasing rapidly, and within a few years there will be a large number of end-of-life batteries on the market. In the project Eliminate, IVL, together with Chalmers University and Stellenbosch University in South Africa, will look at the recycling of lithium-ion batteries to see which technology is best from an environmental and a market perspective. According to an earlier IVL report, around 50,000 battery units in the Nordic region will reach the end of their service life by 2030.

IVL in the media in 2020

2,495 articles and features in the daily press, on radio and on television

30 debate articles in the national press

106 debate articles in county media