Dutch infrastructure specialist Joosten Groep, together with construction company Heijmans and Rijkswaterstaat, is testing a new filtration system that captures tyre wear particles and microplastics from motorway rainwater runoff.
The project focuses on the Eco Roadside Filtration System (ERF), a Dutch-developed solution that filters contaminated rainwater directly at the edge of the road. The system is currently being tested at InnovA58, a sustainable infrastructure test site along the A58 motorway between Eindhoven and Tilburg.
Tyre wear particles are increasingly recognised as a major source of microplastic pollution. As vehicles travel, tiny rubber particles collect on road surfaces. During rainfall, water carries these particles into roadside verges, where they can enter soil and groundwater systems.
The ERF system captures pollutants before they reach the surrounding landscape. Instead of allowing contaminated runoff to flow directly into the verge, the system filters the water at the roadside. As a result, cleaner water reaches the soil and surrounding vegetation. This improves groundwater quality and helps roadside landscapes retain moisture during dry periods. In addition, the system supports healthier roadside ecosystems by reducing the spread of microplastics.
Marco Hazenkamp, Technical Specialist at Joosten Groep, explains: “With the ERF system, we show that pollution can be tackled directly where it originates: at the roadside. The pilot at InnovA58 is an important step towards proving that the system can work effectively on a larger scale.”
The first full-scale pilot of the ERF system took place from 18 to 20 May 2026. The trial forms part of Rijkswaterstaat’s InnovA58 programme, which provides a real-world testing environment for sustainable infrastructure innovations.
If the pilot proves successful, the filtration technology could be applied more broadly across infrastructure projects in the Netherlands. Research results from the ERF trial will be published in autumn 2026. Joosten Groep also plans to present the innovation at InfraTech 2027, a leading trade fair for the infrastructure sector.
For landscape architects, urban designers and infrastructure professionals, the project demonstrates how environmental remediation technologies can become integrated into public infrastructure. Moreover, it highlights the growing role of roadsides as active components within resilient and climate-adaptive landscapes.
Source & image: Joosten Groep