Non-toxic life cycles

The aim of the call is to produce knowledge that supports the Swedish EPA and SwAM in identifying appropriate measures to reduce emission of hazardous substances. A key aspect is to improve the state of knowledge about primary and secondary sources of hazardous substances in the environment. The call will provide a basis for decision making regarding assessment of soil and rock masses and risks of negative effects of hazardous substances versus resource efficiency within a circular economy. An improved knowledge base will support, for example, selection of cost-effective remediation methods. 

The primary target group are managers and analysts at the Swedish EPA and SwAM who work with hazardous substances. Target groups also include regulatory authorities, authorities and operators who carry out environmental monitoring nationally, regionally or within recipient monitoring. The results will also be useful for actors who are responsible for reducing the environmental effects and health effects of hazardous substances.

It is a well-known problem that emission and dispersion of hazardous substances caused by human activity have negative effects on human health and on the environment. For ubiquitous hazardous substances, uncertainties exist with regards to what are the most important sources and the fate and distribution of the pollutants in the environment. There are many emission sources. To be able to prioritize among sources, implement cost-effective measures and make demands on the polluting operating businesses, increased knowledge is needed about the sources, pathways and bioavailability of the most problematic hazardous substances.

To be able to effectively prioritize and develop measures to reduce the distribution of hazardous substances locally and/or on a larger scale, the Swedish EPA needs in-depth knowledge about source tracing of primary and secondary sources of dioxin and PFAS, amongst other substances. The Swedish EPA has also identified a need for increased knowledge about how hazardous substances, such as PFAS, are degraded and distributed from incineration facilities depending on, for example, the type of waste and incineration facility.

Management of granular material in the form of, for example, excavated soil and rocks, and various residual materials such as ash and sewage sludge, creates new pathways for transport of pollutants in the environment. Knowledge is needed to develop the Swedish EPA’s enforcement guidance for risk assessment of masses and residual products that are used for construction purposes or in soil products.

Areas with contaminated soil pose a threat to water quality for both surface water and groundwater. According to assessments by the water authorities, a large number of contaminated areas have significant impact on water quality. This implies a risk that good status cannot be reached within the water bodies. To estimate the total impact on the water body from one or more polluted areas, consideration needs to be given to the fate and distribution of hazardous substances. There is a need at an applied level to develop tools that can be used to integrate the catchment area perspective with the polluted area perspective in order to achieve more effective work in improving water quality. 

Lead and other metals occur in different chemical complexes and forms, and depending on the characteristics of the soil, lead (and other metals) bind to the soil differently. The bioavailability and thus the exposure therefore varies in different soils where lead (and other metals) is/are present. Knowledge of actual exposure, especially at low concentrations in different soils, is lacking. It is therefore difficult to predict, based on available studies, whether lowering today's general guidelines would produce demonstrable reductions in actual systemic exposure, such as a further reduction in lead levels in blood. Even in heavily lead contaminated areas, there are uncertainties as to whether a high lead content in the soil automatically contributes to a higher level in the blood. Knowledge of bioavailability and actual exposure to lead, arsenic, uranium, and other metals needs to increase to increase the reliability of risk assessments.

We ask for projects that can contribute to increased knowledge about source tracing, pathways and bioavailability of hazardous substances and that can improve our work with e.g., assessment and management of risks with hazardous substances. We welcome both natural science and interdisciplinary approaches. Applications will be prioritized so that a well-balanced and integrated portfolio of projects is granted and with good opportunities for synergy between projects. Our expectation is to fund several projects that can cover knowledge needs in the authorities’ undertakings. Examples of requested themes are given below (several themes can be combined):

• Research on primary and secondary sources of dioxin and/or PFAS to enable the development of and prioritization of measures that reduce the distribution of these substances locally or on a larger scale. Particularly welcome are projects that include:
  
  - Development of source tracing methodology and mass balance calculation for dioxin and/or PFAS in order to reliably:
  
  Enable the development and assessment of what is an appropriate measure at the local level, for example prioritizing between different sources of pollution, or prioritizing between remediation of the sediments or the soil.
  
  Link an activity/source of the pollution in a liability investigation to an identified dioxin and/or PFAS contaminated site.
  
  - Studies of variables that affect how PFAS are degraded through combustion in different types of incineration plants in Sweden, as well as the fate of decomposition products of PFAS and measures that can be taken to reduce spreading.
• Policy instrument analysis at national level – conclusions, priorities, and proposals for policy instruments to maximize the effectiveness of the combined measures regarding reduced spread of hazardous substances.
• Studies of how bedrock geology affects the leaching and bioavailability of polluting substances from rock material and development of methods to be able to assess which rock material may entail environmental risk.
• Studies of the fate and distribution and bioavailability of hazardous substances from ash, slag, sludge, and other relevant residual materials that can be used in, for example, building purposes or in soil products.
• Development of practicable and useful tools for assessments of large-scale transport from one or more contaminated areas, so that risk assessments and measures can ensure, among other things, that the requirements of the Water Framework Directive can be fulfilled in the water bodies that are affected by hazardous substances.
• Studies of bioavailability and actual (systemic) exposure to naturally occurring substances such as lead, arsenic, uranium and other metals in areas of low as well as high levels of these substances.

It is important that the relevance for the Swedish EPA and SwAM is clear in the application. We welcome subject specific as well as interdisciplinary projects. 

Eligible to apply are researchers at universities, colleges, research institutes or organisations that conduct research as part of their mission. The main applicant must be affiliated with an organisation with a Swedish organisation number. The final report from the applicant's and co-applicant's previous projects funded by the Swedish EPA, where the project period has expired, must have been received and approved before a new application can be granted. 

The application will not be considered for funding if the maximum level of funds stated in the call text is exceeded.

Researchers who are granted funding are expected to participate in annual research meetings of relevance for funders and in annual meetings for actors associated with this research call. Researchers are also expected to allocate resources for communication with the agencies and other actors and stakeholders.

• Deadline for applications: 14 September 2023, 14:00 C.E.T.
• Funding decision: January 2024
• Start date of the projects: March 2024

Kari Stange
010-698 12 86
kari.stange@naturvardsverket.se

Neda Farahbakhshazad
010-698 12 50
neda.farahba@naturvardsverket.se