The path to cleaner water: Cross-border cooperation to reduce water pollution caused by tyre wear

The aim of the project is to provide an overview of the differences in stormwater pollution caused by tyre wear and the management of this water on both sides of the border. The project will monitor two key areas. The first part will focus on the assessment of environmental loading in close proximity to roads and motorways under different geographical and meteorological conditions. An overview of the environmental burden of this type of pollution will be compiled and made available to all relevant stakeholders (e.g. regional authorities, governmental institutions responsible for environmental protection and water management, and research institutions). On the basis of the data collected, the effectiveness of existing retention measures will be evaluated and discussions will be initiated on possible optimisation of these measures. The second part of the project will focus on characterising the load of organic compounds from tyre abrasion on wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), investigating their potential degradation by advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), raising awareness of this issue among experts and WWTP operators and aligning with European legislative directives on quaternary wastewater treatment (PE-CONS 85/1/24 REV 1).