Air pollution is the leading environmental cause of premature mortality in the European Union and is responsible for around 300,000 deaths each year. Energy-intensive industries contribute to this air pollution.
The Ceramics Industries Research Association (AICE), in collaboration with the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló and 15 additional partners, is developing a project to test safe and clean industrial technologies that reduce risks to human health and biodiversity. The project is linked to the new Environmental Engineering Laboratory, whose technical committee includes Irina Celades and Eliseo Monfort. The project kick-off meeting was held on 15 and 16 June at the headquarters of the Ceramic Technology Institute (ITC) on the UJI campus.
BRISA addresses the urgent challenge posed by emerging airborne industrial pollutants, which are linked to approximately 125,000 deaths annually. The aim is that its implementation in 600–800 industrial facilities will protect more than 45,000 workers by 2035, prevent hundreds of premature deaths each year, and reduce material consumption by 5% and energy consumption by 15%.
The research focuses on two types of occupational risks. On the one hand, known risks associated with uncontrolled emissions or insufficient monitoring methods; on the other, emerging pollutants characterised by significant knowledge gaps in detection, toxicological profiling and regulatory integration. To address these challenges, BRISA seeks safer material formulations and process redesign strategies that reduce hazardous use and toxicity.
One of the project’s challenges is to design and test a modular network capable of detecting multiple pollutants through the incorporation of artificial intelligence, while also developing robust, low-cost sensors that can operate reliably under high temperatures, aggressive chemical agents and heavy dust loads. The project also aims to create a hybrid AI-driven data technology for the real-time prediction and management of emissions and exposure to emerging pollutants.
The proposed solutions will be validated in four affected sectors: the ceramic industry (Spain), the metallurgical industry (Germany), the chemical industry (Poland and the Netherlands), and the minerals and plastics sector (Türkiye). These sectors will evaluate both the new materials and the technologies implemented in manufacturing facilities across the supply chain, with the goal of reducing impacts on health, safety and the environment.
The consortium, entitled “Innovative Research on Industrial Safety Against Airborne Carcinogens and Emerging Contaminants”, brings together a strong multidisciplinary team of 17 partners from six EU Member States (Spain, Portugal, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and Cyprus) as well as two associated countries (Türkiye and Norway). It is a balanced consortium integrating R&D organisations, universities, industry and SMEs. BRISA is funded under the European Union’s Horizon-CL4-2025-01 call (Grant Agreement No. 101294264).
More information: www.brisa-project.eu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brisa-project
X.com: https://x.com/brisaproject
"Funded by the European Union (Grant Agreement: 101294264). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them."