mMEU

Microplastics can be detected more and more often in the environment, but neither their origin nor the exact amount are known locally. This lack of knowledge can also have a detrimental effect on the environment and society. Therefore, a preventive data-driven creation of transparency can facilitate environmental protection in order to understand at an early stage where microplastics occur in urban areas.

The aim of the project mMEU is to develop a data-based model that uses environmental data from various sectors, including traffic, transport infrastructure, and waste disposal, to determine emissions of these micro plastics. FiR e. V. and the Wuppertal Institute are addressing the question of how a local determination of mobility-related micro plastic emissions can be made possible using data sources.
For this purpose, the project participants identify and investigate different data sources and evaluate them with regard to their accessibility, quality, and applicability. To do this, they use an efficient data management concept. They consider several use cases, such as the vehicle tire wear, on the basis of which they validate the procedure and implement it in a prototypical model. Then they examine the economic usability in business cases based on use cases. Relevant stakeholders, such as cities and transport operators, continuously supporting the development of the model.

The project is funded under the Modernization Fund ("mFUND") funding guideline of the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure.