Biodegradable Bioplastics - Assessing Environmental Risk (BIO-PLASTIC-RISK)
Lead Research Organisation:
Plymouth University
Department Name: Sch of Biological and Marine Sciences
Abstract
Biodegradable bioplastics (BBPs) are a category of materials that offer considerable potential to reduce the global environmental challenge resulting from the accumulation of end-of-life plastic. BBPs are made from renewable carbon such as plant material (bioplastics) and as a consequence of their molecular structure and resulting properties are regarded to have enhanced rates of biodegradation compared to conventional plastics. Currently only around 1% of plastic production is in the form of bioplastics; driven by the potential advantages demand is growing rapidly.
BBPs are already widely used in applications with substantive pathways to the natural environment (agricultural mulch film, textile fibres, beads in cosmetics). Yet our understanding about their fate in the natural environment is poorly understood, because key information on the kinetics of degradation and any potential environmental effects of their breakdown products (fragments and chemical additives) is lacking. Biodegradation has been demonstrated under specific conditions, such as commercial compositing, and there are associated standards, but studies indicate degradation can be slow or incomplete under natural conditions.
This ambitious, yet highly tractable, 4-year research proposal brings together internationally recognised polymer scientists, marine and terrestrial biologists and ecotoxicologists from the Universities of Plymouth and Bath together with Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Project Partner Lenzing AG and an Advisory Group including representatives from Government agencies, BBP producers, commercial users (Sainsbury's and Riverford Organic Farms), Water Authorities as well as NGOs. Collectively the team will establish the fate of BBPs in the environment, their effect on organisms and ecosystem function and develop environmental risk assessments.
We will characterise BBPs in terms of their composition (chemical structure, additives) as well as features that can be used to assess deterioration (molecular weight, thickness, strength) in the environment. We will then establish the fate of BBPs in marine and terrestrial environments in terms of rates of deterioration as well as the pathways and environmental accumulation of BBPs and their breakdown products. This will inform experiments to examine any associated direct effects of BBP deterioration on marine and terrestrial organisms (animals such as mussels and earthworms and plants such as herbs and grass) and to examine any indirect consequences on ecological and biogeochemical processes.
Collectively, these outcomes, together with existing literature, will be used to evaluate how the fate and behaviour of BBPs in the environment relates to hazards in order to conduct a risk assessment to show at what concentration BBPs and their associated chemicals may have an impact on animals, their habitats, and how the ecosystem functions. Estimates of safe levels in soil and water will be derived as well as factors that add uncertainty and indicate priorities for future research.
Outcomes in terms of potential risks, will be communicated alongside the benefits of BBPs - so as to provide a balanced perspective and help guide development for the next generation of BBPs. This will be disseminated by publications and stakeholder engagement, including: data sharing with OECD and Defra; a technical stakeholder workshop (industry, government, consultancy, NGOs. etc) and a training event - how to complete a risk assessment for plastics.
There has been considerable media attention on plastic pollution and this has translated into an urgent call for action by the public. However, current understanding of the most appropriate actions is less clear and reliable information on the benefits and risks of novel materials such as BBPs, is lacking. Hence, this research is of critical importance to guide changes in commercial practice and policy responses, such as implementation of the 25 year Environment Plan.
BBPs are already widely used in applications with substantive pathways to the natural environment (agricultural mulch film, textile fibres, beads in cosmetics). Yet our understanding about their fate in the natural environment is poorly understood, because key information on the kinetics of degradation and any potential environmental effects of their breakdown products (fragments and chemical additives) is lacking. Biodegradation has been demonstrated under specific conditions, such as commercial compositing, and there are associated standards, but studies indicate degradation can be slow or incomplete under natural conditions.
This ambitious, yet highly tractable, 4-year research proposal brings together internationally recognised polymer scientists, marine and terrestrial biologists and ecotoxicologists from the Universities of Plymouth and Bath together with Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Project Partner Lenzing AG and an Advisory Group including representatives from Government agencies, BBP producers, commercial users (Sainsbury's and Riverford Organic Farms), Water Authorities as well as NGOs. Collectively the team will establish the fate of BBPs in the environment, their effect on organisms and ecosystem function and develop environmental risk assessments.
We will characterise BBPs in terms of their composition (chemical structure, additives) as well as features that can be used to assess deterioration (molecular weight, thickness, strength) in the environment. We will then establish the fate of BBPs in marine and terrestrial environments in terms of rates of deterioration as well as the pathways and environmental accumulation of BBPs and their breakdown products. This will inform experiments to examine any associated direct effects of BBP deterioration on marine and terrestrial organisms (animals such as mussels and earthworms and plants such as herbs and grass) and to examine any indirect consequences on ecological and biogeochemical processes.
Collectively, these outcomes, together with existing literature, will be used to evaluate how the fate and behaviour of BBPs in the environment relates to hazards in order to conduct a risk assessment to show at what concentration BBPs and their associated chemicals may have an impact on animals, their habitats, and how the ecosystem functions. Estimates of safe levels in soil and water will be derived as well as factors that add uncertainty and indicate priorities for future research.
Outcomes in terms of potential risks, will be communicated alongside the benefits of BBPs - so as to provide a balanced perspective and help guide development for the next generation of BBPs. This will be disseminated by publications and stakeholder engagement, including: data sharing with OECD and Defra; a technical stakeholder workshop (industry, government, consultancy, NGOs. etc) and a training event - how to complete a risk assessment for plastics.
There has been considerable media attention on plastic pollution and this has translated into an urgent call for action by the public. However, current understanding of the most appropriate actions is less clear and reliable information on the benefits and risks of novel materials such as BBPs, is lacking. Hence, this research is of critical importance to guide changes in commercial practice and policy responses, such as implementation of the 25 year Environment Plan.
Publications
Thompson RC
(2022)
Plastics treaty - research must inform action.
in Nature
Scientists Coalition For An Effective Plastics Treaty
(2023)
Policy Brief: The global plastics treaty: What is the role of bio-based plastic, biodegradable plastic and bioplastic? (possible core obligation 8)
Nuojua S
(2024)
Plastic alternatives and substitutes in the packaging sector - A UK consumer perspective
in Sustainable Production and Consumption
De Falco F
(2023)
A thermoanalytical insight into the composition of biodegradable polymers and commercial products by EGA-MS and Py-GC-MS
in Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis
Courtene-Jones W
(2022)
Plastic pollution: the science we need for the planet we want.
in Emerging topics in life sciences
Courtene-Jones W
(2022)
From microbes to ecosystems: a review of the ecological effects of biodegradable plastics.
in Emerging topics in life sciences
Courtene-Jones W
(2022)
Plastic pollution requires an integrative systems approach to understand and mitigate risk.
in Emerging topics in life sciences
Description | Numerous discussion at a national and international level about the potential role of biodegradable plastics and the Un Plastics Treaty |
First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
Sector | Environment |
Impact Types | Policy & public services |
Description | Microplastic Filters (Washing Machines) Bill |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
Description | parliamentary drop-in event focused on microplastic fibre shedding from textiles |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Title | A thermoanalytical insigh t into th e compositio n of biodegradabl e polymers an d commercial products by EG A -MS an d Py -GC -MS |
Description | Biodegradable polymers are proposed as a potential solution to environmental problems related to plastic pollution. Potential benefits have been suggested in applications such as agricultural mulching and fishing gear, where there can be considerable difficulty recovering products from the environment at the end of their service life. Biodegradation is a complex process influenced by both the properties of the material and the receiving environment in which it needs to biodegrade. Assessing the degradation process necessitates the chemical composition (i.e. polymer and additives) of biodegradable products to be characterised by reliable analytical methods. Pyrolysis coupled to Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) and Evolved Gas Analysis coupled to Mass Spectrometry (EGA-MS) are emerging techniques to characterise plastic materials, providing a greater sensitivity and resolution when compared to more widely used spectroscopic techniques (FTIR and Raman). In this work, we have applied a systematic approach combining EGA-MS and multi-shot Py-GC-MS for the thermoanalytical investigation of 5 biodegradable polymers and 5 biodegradable-labelled commercial products. We identified thermal degradation profiles, main m/z ions and pyrolysis markers for the polymers PBAT, PBS, PBHV and two types of PLA. We applied the obtained information to investigate the composition of 4 mulch films and 1 fishing net. EGA-MS was fundamental to optimise single or multi shot pyrolysis acquisition, allowing an optimal Py-GC-MS separation and identification of the pyrolysis products. PLA and PBAT were detected in three mulch films, with the addition of starch in a film labelled as Mater-bi and in one of unknown composition. Online silylation was crucial for detecting polysaccharides in a composite film containing hemp fibres. The presence of butylene, succinate, adipate and terephthalate units was highlighted analysing a fishing net made of a newly developed PBSAT resin. Finally, Py-GC-MS was effective in identifying the presence of additives such as 1,6-diisocyanato-hexane (chain extender) and di(3-butenyl) ester sebacic acid derived from the plasticizer dibutyl sebacate. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | none yet |
URL | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165237023000815?via%3Dihub |
Description | University of Pisa (Italy) |
Organisation | University of Pisa |
Department | Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry |
Country | Italy |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Different material samples were supplied by University of Bath and Plymouth for analyses to be carried out at the University of Pisa. Francesca De Falco visited the University of Pisa in October 2021 to analyse these materials with their instruments Evolved Gas Analysis coupled to Mass Spectrometry (EGA-MS) and Pyrolysis coupled to Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). The main scope of this joint research activity is to explore the potential and effectiveness of Py-GC/MS as analytical tool for plastic pollution studies. In detail, the technique has been applied to characterize the chemical composition of the different materials analysed (i.e. polymer, additives present, etc.), and to detect possible changes due to environmental degradation. The outcome will be used to optimize the application of Py-GC/MS for the identification and quantification of microplastics in environmental samples. Our team is actively contributing to the design of the experiments, data analysis and with expertise on biodegradable polymers and degradation. Periodical meeting are held between the Universities of Pisa and Plymouth to discuss the data analysis and plan the joint experimental activity. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Pisa has contributed by hosting in their laboratories Francesca De Falco in October 2021. Moreover, they are currently contributing to data analyses, performing additional analyses on samples provided by our team, providing extensive knowledge on Pyr-GC/MS data, participating to periodical meeting with our team. |
Impact | ongoing |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | 12 month project progress meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | A review of the progress from across the project's work packages to-date and plans made for future related activities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | 18 month project progress meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | A meeting of all of the project participants to review of the progress across all of the work packages since the start of the project up to 18 months was undertaken in November 2022. Plans were also made for future activities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | BioPlastic Risk web site |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Established project website |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/marine-litter/bio-plastic-risk#:~:text=Led%20by%20the%20Universi... |
Description | Conference presentation, SETAC Europe |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Sparked discussion with many participants, increased visibility of the research and project at university of Plymouth |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Futures 2021 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | In September 2021, over 500 individuals and families locally and across the South West joined us to discover research across science, heritage, health and history, and meet the University of Plymouth researchers who work to make a difference to our daily lives. FUTURES2021 brought research to life in new and exciting ways online and in-person, with a whole host of events ranging from storytelling to panel discussions, comedy, quizzes and broadcasts on community radio stations. FUTURES is an annual public engagement festival dedicated to showcasing research and innovation, as part of the 2021 European Researchers' Night celebrations. With more than 300 cities across 30 European countries taking part, this exciting annual event showcases the South West's rich scientific and cultural heritage through fun, interactive learning with the Universities of Bath, Bath Spa, Bristol, Exeter and Plymouth. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/futures2021 |
Description | HUMAN HEALTH & THE OCEAN IN A CHANGING WORLD |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | 16:30-17:30 SESSION 3: OCEAN POLLUTION AND HUMAN HEALTH - Part 2 Mini-review (3 x 15'): • PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS, PESTICIDES AND OTHER CHEMICALS Dr. Amro HAMDOUN - Scripps Institution of Oceanography • PLASTICS AND MICRO DEBRIS Pr. Richard THOMPSON - University of Plymouth • HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL POLLUTANTS Pr. Patrick FENICHEL - University of Nice SHORT COMMUNICATIONS (3 x 5') |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | http://www.oceanhealthmonaco.org/ |
Description | Integrating Marine Litter Monitoring to Inform Action -- UN Ocean Conference Side Event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The event will address a broad variety of stakeholders including member states representatives to advocate the necessity of a global sustained Integrated Marine Debris Observing System (IMDOS) that will work hand in hand with the UNEP Global Partnership on Marine Litter to address critical knowledge gaps and other stakeholder needs, including by supporting the Digital Platform. The partnership between the IMDOS and the GPML Digital Platform will enable the accessibility of integrated data on marine litter and plastic pollution by a wide range of stakeholders. See below our final agenda! We are also planning on organising a (self-paid)dinner for those who wish to continue discussing after the event. If you are interested in joining, please sign up here: https://forms.office.com/r/C5tB1tnfkJ Getting to Cascais To get to Cascais from Lisbon, you can take a direct train (line 19001) from Lisbon Cais Do Sodre station (connected with the green metro line) to Cascais station which is also the end station. Trains depart every 10-20 minutes during the day, and travel takes 30-40 minutes. Useful travel information can be found here: https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Lisbon/Cascais Venue The UN Ocean Conference side event & Morning Forum will take place at the Centro Cultural de Cascais, Av. Rei Humberto II de Itália, 2750-642 Cascais, website: https://bairrodosmuseus.cascais.pt/list/museu/centro-cultural-de-cascais?section=0 Lunch Dialogues & Afternoon Forum will take place at the Hotel Baia - Passeio de Dom Luís I, 2754-509 Cascais, Portugal, website: https://www.hotelbaia.com/ If you have any questions or if you schedule has changed, please do not hesitate to contact me. We are looking forward to meeting you in Cascais. Best regards, Audrey HASSON, Ph.D., on behalf of the organising committee GEO Blue Planet European Coordinator @ Mercator Ocean International - EU4OCEANOBS FPI audrey.hasson@mercator-ocean.fr www.eu4oceanobs.eu www.geoblueplanet.org You can find out more about the event, context, agenda via the event website available here: https://www.eu4oceanobs.eu/marine-litter-monitoring-to-inform-action/ 8:00-8:30 Venue opens : Badges, agenda distribution etc 8:30-10:00 Official Side Event - Centro Cultural de Cascais ECOP Moderator: Delphine Lobelle (Netherlands) 8:30-8:45 Welcome notes 8:50-9:20 Keynote speech Richard Thompson (University of Plymouth) 9:20-9:30 Introduction to Panel discussion Heidi Savelli-Soderberg (UNEP) 9:30-9:40 Introduction to Panel discussion - IMDOS Alex Turra (University of Sao Paolo) 9:40-10:10 Panel Discussion Heidi Savelli-Soderberg (UNEP), Toste Tanhua (GOOS/GEOMAR), Keiji Nakashima (Ministry of the Environment, Japan), Marc Metian (UN IAEA-MEL), Alex Turra (University of Sao Paolo), Amy Lusher (NIVA, Norway) Moderator: Audrey Hasson (MOi / GEO Blue Planet) 10:10-10:30 Coffee Break 10:30-12:00 Morning Forum - Centro Cultural de Cascais ECOP moderator: Tomoko Takahashi (Japan) 10:30-10:45 GPML concept and next steps Marta Ottogalli and Saiful Ridwan (UNEP) 10:45-11:00 Data for decision making and measuring progress Nicola Balbarini, UNEP-DHI Centre on Water and Environment 11:00-11:15 IMDOS concept and next steps Artur Palacz (GOOS/IOCCP, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland) and Stefano Aliani (ISMAR, CNR, Italy) 11:15-11:30 Harmonizing monitoring methods and sharing of data in Japan as an enabling tool to tackle ocean surface microplastics (confirmed) Keiji Nakashima (Ministry of Environment Japan MOEJ) 11:30-12:00 Panel Discussion All speakers from Morning Forum Moderator: Audrey Hasson (MOi / GEO Blue Planet) 12:00-12:30 Walk over to the Baia Hotel 12:30-13:30 Luncheon Dialogues - Baia Hotel, Cascais 13:30-14:00 Interval for refreshments 14:00-17:00 Afternoon Forum - Baia Hotel and Marina, Cascais ECOP Moderator: Christine Knauss (US) and Mafalda de Freitas (Portugal) 14:00-14:15 Remote Sensing Victor Martinez-Vicente (PML) 14:15-14:30 Modelling Atsuhiko Isobe (Kyushu University, Japan) 14:30-14:45 Sampling and Analysis Amy Lusher (NIVA, Norway) 14:45-15:00 Artificial Intelligence Carolina Sa (Moon-shot Challenge, Portugal Space Agency) and Leonardo Azevedo (CERENA-IST / Project SMART ) 15:00-15:30 Q&A discussion 15:30-16:00 Refreshments Walk from Baia Hotel to the Marina (5-10 min walk) 16:00-17:00 Live Demonstrations - Drones, Manta nets 17:00-17:30 Transition 17:30-19:30 Concluding social event - by the MV Plastic Odyssey on the Cascais marina ECOP Moderator: Refilwe Mofokeng (SA) 17:30-18 :15 Concluding Remarks 18:15-18:45 Local Solutions - Upstream (France) Plastic Odyssey 18:45-19:15 Local Solutions - Downstream (Portugal) H2020 Maelstrom |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/virtual_side_event_programme_2706.pdf |
Description | Invited Seminar, Aberystwyth university |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Invited seminar documenting biodegradable plastics research, effects on terrestrial and marine environments, followed by discussion. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Invited talk for the International day of Women in Science |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Invited presentation at the 2nd annual e-seminar celebrating women in science, organised by SepSolve Analytical (10/02/2023). The title of the talk was: "Investigating the fate of microplastics in the environment by Py/TD-GC×GC-TOF MS: the case of biodegradable plastic." Questions and feedback were received and the network was expanded. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://chem.markes.com/l/129721/2023-02-17/3rw668 |
Description | Keynote, Forest Research Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | invited keynote "Biodegradable plastics in the open environment" at the National Forest Research Conference. Event was attended by a range of stakeholders which sparked a great deal of discussion. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Poster at International Conference on the Environmental Effects of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Poster on the ecotoxicological effects of bio-based fibres on earthworms was shared at the International Conference on the Environmental Effects of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Poster presentation at MICRO2022 conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Poster presentation at MICRO2022 International Conference, titled "ASSESSMENT OF BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC FATE IN THE ENVIRONMENT". It was an online presentation enabling wider International engagement. Received audience questions, and expanded network. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/ |
Description | Presentation at MICRO2022 conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Poster presentation at MICRO2022 International Conference 'Biodegradable plastics: assessing the ecological risk" this was an online presentation enabling wider International engagement. Received audience questions, and expanded network. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/ |
Description | Presentation of the effects of biodegradable plastic fibre exposure on earthworms |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Presentation of results from the experimental work investigating the toxicological effects of exposure to biodegradable fibres on earthworms. The event was attended by ~70 academic staff and postgraduate students. Good discussion and feedback following the presentation |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Presentation to UK Forestry Research group |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A Presentation was given to the stakeholder group 'UK Forestry Research Group', a UK wide network of Forestry practitioners and professionals. The event was online and attended by around 30 individuals. The Bio Plastic Rick project (overview and aims) was introduced along with a background to biodegradable plastics. The presentation was well received, with questions and discussion following the talk. Many of the practitioners stated they had learnt new things about biodegradable plastics and want to remain engaged with the project. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Speaker :United Nations Oceans Conference Side Event From Ambition to Action: Ending Plastic Pollution in All Environments |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | United Nations Oceans Conference Side Event From Ambition to Action: Ending Plastic Pollution in All Environments 27th June, time 6-8pm, commencing after the interactive dialogues on marine pollution Location: Ikonik Hotel Lisboa (approx. 10mins walk from Blue Zone) Speakers ? Jo Royle, Founder and CEO, Common Seas ? Dr Jeanne d'Arc Mujawamariya, Minister of Environment, the Republic of Rwanda (pre-recorded via video link) ? Amb. Gustavo Meza Cuadra, Permanent Mission of Peru to the United Nations ? Virginijus Sinkevicius, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, European Commission ? Ed Shepherd, Senior Global Sustainability Manager - Circular Economy - Unilever ? Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS, Director of the Marine Institute, University of Plymouth ? Rebecca Pow, Minister for Environment, UK Government Moderator: Christina Dixon, Ocean Campaign Leader, Environmental Investigation Agency Introduction Thank you for joining Common Seas and EIA's event, co-hosted by Rwanda, Peru, CIEL and the European Commission, which is part of the United Nations Ocean Conference side event programme. Plastic pollution constitutes a planetary crisis with impacts on our oceans, health, biodiversity and the climate system. Following the adoption of the resolution End Plastic Pollution: Towards an International Legally Binding Instrument at the 5th Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in 2022 (UNEA-5), countries have a chance to come together and address the root causes of plastic pollution to safeguard our oceans and our planet. If we are to achieve SDG 14, an ambitious, coordinated and equitable approach that reflects the need to enable all countries to respond, including through support for low capacity countries and SIDS, will be essential. Stakeholders from civil society, government, business and the scientific community will lead this high-level dialogue on priority issues for addressing plastic pollution as we look towards international negotiations in 2022 and an ambitious eventual agreement that meets the scale of the crisis at hand. From highlighting the critical importance of plastic pollution to SDG 14 and our oceans, the discussion will also cover other interlinkages, such as the sustainable production and consumption of plastics (SDG 12), product design and standards, the need for a non-toxic circular economy and the environmentally sound management of waste - all anchored in evidence-based decision making and the need to turn words into urgent action through action plans and reporting requirements. The session will bring perspectives from different geographies and contexts, underscoring the need for a collaborative global vision to end plastic pollution that intervenes at all stages of the plastics life cycle. The session aims to: ? Provide an update on the progress towards developing a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution following UNEA 5.2 ? Highlight essential elements to ensure the success of the instrument from different stakeholder perspectives, including business, government, scientific and civil society ? To provide insights into the interlinkages between SDG 14 and other SDGs in the context of addressing pollution across the full lifecycle of plastics Link to the Conference Theme: Scaling up Ocean Action Based on Science and Innovation for the Implementation of Goal 14: Stocktaking, Partnerships and Solutions ? In advance of UNEA 5.2, EIA coordinated the launch of a Scientists' Declaration on the Need for Governance of Plastics Throughout Their Life Cycles, which highlighted that approaches currently proposed for addressing plastic pollution focus primarily on waste management and actions lower down the waste hierarchy. It also noted that the 'marine litter' lens does not adequately reflect the findings of UNEP's Scientific Advisory Committee for Marine Litter and Microplastics, which concluded that a full life cycle approach is needed which principally focuses on prevention, reduction and redesigning problematic plastics out of the global economy. ? The Declaration called on governments to support the establishment of a new global treaty based on independently peer-reviewed scientific consensus and Traditional Knowledge, Innovations and Practices (TKIP) of Indigenous peoples and local communities. Stakeholders from around the world and across the plastics value chain are committed to a global agreement that is grounded in and responsive to such expert opinion and evidence. ? Common Seas also sees an equitable approach to addressing plastic pollution as vital, and has developed the Plastic Drawdown tool as a mechanism for supporting low capacity countries and SIDS to take early action. The health impacts should also not be ignored. Peer-reviewed research commissioned by Common Seas found microplastics in 77% of the human blood samples that were tested. As a result, Common Seas are calling for more funding for research into the links between plastic exposure and human health. This is another reason why a new global treaty needs to focus on upstream action. ? This side event will focus discussion on the need for a global agreement with evidence-based measures that includes within its design the scientific mechanisms and approaches that will be required to inform ambitious policy-making to achieve SDG 14 and other related goals. Structure After introductory remarks from EIA, the panel will be introduced and asked to provide reflections on the essential elements for the plastics treaty from their stakeholder perspective. The panel will be Chaired by Christina Dixon. After each speaker has the chance to provide a few minutes of initial reflections, they will be asked at least one question specific to their expertise and context to elaborate further on their position. We will work with you to shape these questions, to ensure we can draw out the key messages you want to share about plastic pollution. Following the questions posed to the speakers, we will invite a small number of interventions from the floor. The room is booked for two hours to allow time for networking and refreshments but the official programme is not envisaged to last longer than one hour. We anticipate starting by 6.30pm and concluding by 7.30pm to allow time for networking. This timing should enable people to move from the Interactive Dialogues to this venue with adequate time. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://eia-international.org/from-ambition-to-action-ending-plastic-pollution-in-all-environments/ |
Description | Stakeholders' Workshop held in London |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | A workshop to share findings to-date with stakeholders from industry and business, policymakers and third sector organisations was delivered by the study participants on 26th May 2022 . The workshop enabled the study participants to present the findings to-date and deeper discussions with the stakeholders and further the building of networks. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Stakholder event, London Jan 2024 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | A workshop to share findings to-date with stakeholders from industry and business, policymakers and third sector organisations was delivered by the study participants on 15th Jan 2024 . The workshop enabled the study participants to present the findings to-date and deeper discussions with the stakeholders and further the building of networks. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Student Futures and Research Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | This five-day event is for career professionals, researchers, and student peers to engage and speak to university students from undergrad to PhD about their career areas, global challenges, and research. The aim of the event is to both inform and excite students interested in ecology and natural history about the career choices available to them and allow them to present their work to their peers. Attending the conference will be an audience of up to 300 undergraduate, postgraduate, Masters and PhD students, and others interested in ecology. Further information can be found on the Eventbrite page: Student Futures and Research Conference 2022 | Eventbrite |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-student-futures-and-research-conference-2022-tickets-249397192717 |
Description | The future: Considering what Impact might microplastics have on the GI tract and Liver" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | British Society of Gastroenterology. Every year we organise sessions as part of the annual conference. This year, in one of the sessions we are planning is 3 talks on the influence of modern society on the GI tract/liver. We read your extensive royal society publication and concluding paper "Plastics, the environment and human health; current consensus and future trends" with great interest. We would very much like to hear about what impact plastics/microplastics might have on the GI tract and liver in the future. We wondered if you would be willing to give a 20 min talk giving an overview of the topic at our conference in Liverpool? (Monday, June 15th 2020). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | UN Ocean Side event - Marine Plastic Debris: Global Commitments and Actions for a Clean Ocean with the aim to strengthen global cooperation on marine plastic debris handling. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Marine Plastic Debris: Global Commitments and Actions for a Clean Ocean Time : Thursday, 30 June 2022, 13:00 - 14:15 (Lisbon time) Venue : Side Event Room 2, Altice arena A. Background Marine debris pollution is thus a global issue, and an abundance of research exists demonstrating its detrimental impacts on biodiversity, societies, and local and national economies. Despite its global prevalence, the deleterious consequences of marine debris are a tangible and visible concern at the local level, necessitating the engagement of local stakeholders to decrease its input and remove it from the ecosystem. In other circumstances, sinks of marine debris, such as beaches, are located outside the geopolitical boundaries of the generator locations, necessitating transboundary cooperation between neighboring towns, provinces, and countries. Therefore, to end marine plastic debris and its ubiquitous nature, synchronous strategies and efforts from various stakeholders must be deployed. Indonesia has issued Presidential Regulation Number 83 Year 2018 on Marine Debris Handling which highlights the state's goal in handling 70% of its marine plastic debris by 2025. This Regulation has successfully accelerated the efforts on waste management in the country, and as a result, the amount of plastic waste that is leaking into the ocean is decreasing annually. But Indonesia's efforts alone are not enough to end this transboundary plastic debris. Development organization, for example, plays an important role to support the development of innovative financing in mitigating marine plastic debris, while the private sector has the authority to ramp up the production and collection of recyclable plastic that will eventually reduce the amount of plastic waste leaking into the ocean. There have been commendable efforts by stakeholders above on ending marine plastic pollution, hence, to share and exchange the challenges and success stories from them, as well as to inspire others to take action, the Government of Indonesia plans to conduct a side event in the second UN Ocean Conference; Marine Plastic Debris: Global Commitments and Actions for a Clean Ocean. The side event will cover the unique threat posed by transboundary plastic debris to marine ecosystems and will emphasize the importance of global, science-based solutions and lessons learned that address everything from preventative measures to mitigation of marine plastic debris. The side event will feature high-level panelists from various stakeholders; state government, private sector, and development organizations. The presence of high-level representatives will illustrate the dedication of organizations and their missions to the worldwide challenge of preventing and reducing transboundary plastic debris through a collective global commitment and actions. B. Objectives This side event aims to 1. Encourage greater knowledge and comprehension of the problems associated with transboundary plastic debris; 2. Address the transboundary nature of marine debris and strengthen the global commitment and action on its mitigation; and 3. Increase regional, national, and global collaboration on the issue of transboundary plastic debris. C. Agenda Session 1: Opening by Moderator (5 minutes) Kristin Hughes Director, Global Plastic Action Partnership Session 2: Opening Remarks (20 Minutes) Opening Remark 1 (10 Minutes) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Indonesia Opening Remark 2 (10 Minutes) Susan Gardner Director of Ecosystems Division, United Nations Environment Program Session 3: Dialogue (40 Minutes) Speaker 1: National Action Plan for Marine Debris Handling of Indonesia: Achievement, Challenge, and Way Forward (7 Minutes) Nani Hendiarti Deputy Minister for Environment and Forestry Management, CMMAI Speaker 2: The Norwegian Development Programme to Combat Marine Litter and Microplastics (7 Minutes) Espen Barth Eide Minister of Climate and the Environment of Norway Speaker 3: Public-private Partnership to Mitigate Marine Debris (7 Minutes) Jacob Duer President and CEO, Alliance to End Plastic Waste Speaker 4: Role of Academia in Combating Marine Plastic Debris (7 Minutes) Prof. Richard Thompson Director of the Marine Institute, University of Plymouth Speaker 5: Private Sector Contribution to Handle Marine Debris (6 Minutes) Henri Bruxelles Chief Sustainability and Strategic Business Development Officer, Danone International Speaker 6: A World Bank Approach: Pathways out of Plastic Pollution (6 Minutes) Valerie Hickey Global Director of Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy (ENB), World Bank Session 4: Discussion and Closing (10 Minutes) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://sdgs.un.org/events/marine-plastic-debris-global-commitments-and-actions-clean-ocean-47241 |
Description | UN Oceans Side Event Plastic pollution: what is holding us back from solutions; what key science and innovation is needed to tackle this global environmental challenge? Tue 28 Jun 2022, 4.00 pm |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | O28 June 2022, 16:00-17:30 Event streamed live from Lisbon, Portugal The topic of plastic pollution has received considerable global attention and as a consequence, was the focus of a recent UNEA 5.2 resolution entitled 'End Plastic Pollution: Towards an internationally legally binding instrument.' Most of the evidence around plastic pollution originates from the marine environment, yet most of the causes and hence the interventions to reduce plastic pollution, are grounded in supply chains and actions that lie on land. Do we have sufficient evidence to inform the recent UNEA resolution and if not, where are the evidence gaps? More broadly, are there lessons that can be learned from our current understanding of plastic pollution and our progress towards interventions that can help guide the way toward prioritisation of actions in relation to other environmental contaminants? This online discussion, question and answer session with experts from industry, policy and academia helped to identify the critical science and innovation needed to tackle this global environmental challenge. This panel debate featured short presentations from a diverse multinational panel (academia, policy, industry and innovation, finance, legal frameworks) followed by a Q&A session from the audience of conference delegates. Some of the key questions addressed: Do we need more evidence on the problem at sea or more on the trade-offs between solutions on land? What are the differences in applicability of solutions between nations? What is the relative importance of interventions at the design stage vs waste management to achieve circularity? What types of legal framework are needed to achieve success? What are the necessary national/international standards and enforcement? In short, what are the priorities for evidence to inform intervention in the context of UNEA 5.2? More broadly with regard to other forms of marine pollution, how best to link environmental evidence of impacts to effective solutions, in a timely manner? View the conference website See follow up article in Nature written by our Lisbon panellists outlining the evidence needs to inform the plastic treaty |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/whats-on/plastic-pollution-2022-un-ocean-conference-official-virtual-side... |
Description | UN Oceans Side event - Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment: Recommendation for Monitoring Debris Trend in Marine Environment. Speaker - Citizen Science to Improve Global Plastic Monitoring |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference Side Event Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment: Recommendation for Monitoring Debris Trend in Marine Environment Organized by: Secretariat of the National Coordination Team for Marine Debris Handling of Indonesia and Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment of Indonesia Background on the event (one paragraph) Improvement of marine debris monitoring is urgently needed to enhance the quality and accuracy of the marine debris issue magnitude in our environment. Academia, research institutes, and governments have employed marine debris monitoring initiatives, with varied challenges, success stories, and lesson learned. These cases need to be shared and learned with each other to produce a robust marine debris monitoring framework and assessment. This side event, conducted on 29 June 2020, aimed to serve as a platform for relevant stakeholders to share and exchange knowledge and best practices on marine debris monitoring, and ultimately, mobilize partnerships with wider society and other relevant stakeholders to monitor the problem of marine plastic debris more effectively. This side event featured Nani Hendiarti (Deputy Minister for Environment and Forestry Coordination, Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment), Burkhard Hinz (Head of Urban Development and Mobility, KfW), Muhammad Reza Cordova (Researcher, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia), Prof. Richard Thompson (Director of the Marine Institute, University of Plymouth), Mattis Wolf (Researcher, Marine Perception Research Group, German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence), and Mana Kamakura (Section Chief, Office of Policies against Marine Plastics Pollution, Ministry of the Environment, Japan). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://sdgs.un.org/events/marine-debris-monitoring-and-assessment-recommendation-monitoring-debris-... |
Description | aKick Off meeting for project participants and stakeholders/data holders |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Kick Off meeting for project participants and stakeholders/data holders |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | b. 6 month project progress meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | 6 month project progress meeting |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |