Building a UK knowledge exchange network to progress research and wider stakeholder understanding of microplastics as an environmental pollutant
Lead Research Organisation:
NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY CENTRE
Department Name: Science and Technology
Abstract
Microplastics (plastics <5mm in size) are classified as an 'emerging contaminant' and a pollutant of growing concern. Little is known about how microplastics enter the environment, their behaviour once there and the potential for ecosystem-scale effects. It is understood that microplastics can cause ecological harm under certain circumstances, but the long-term effects of this are as-yet unknown. Since research into microplastics began in 2004, the field of research has grown significantly, but many questions about presence, sources and effects still remain. To address these questions, it has been recognised that interdisciplinary effort is required. Stakeholders are beginning to hold targeted meetings to identify skill needs, technical capabilities and development of ideas, however the outcomes of these meetings are not widely disseminated and thus outreach is limited. There is therefore a need for coordination between stakeholder groups to allow for more efficient exchange of knowledge and inter-disciplinary discussions. I am a regular attendee at relevant meetings and, as such, I am aware of the gaps impeding communications between groups and can see clearly how connections can be built. Inter-stakeholder communications are especially important in the face of emerging policies and regulations that will affect governmental bodies and commercial businesses (e.g. water companies).
This fellowship will allow me to interact with, and unite, a wide range of stakeholders to determine how best to address the concerns and interests of all parties (government, commercial, NGOs, academics), while allowing for relevant and mutually beneficial research to be undertaken. To understand microplastics as a pollutant, enormous research effort is needed to ascertain the ways in which they might have environmental, ecological and societal effects. The formation of a network would allow development of research ideas using a participatory approach to determine what knowledge best supports their requirements and what their customers or funders are willing (and motivated) to support. This integrated approach will allow for valuable development of the research field, allowing reciprocal relationships to be built.
Based on the identified discrepancies between the knowledge required and ongoing research, this fellowship also aims to produce guidance documents and reports, pitched at different levels for accessibility across the range of stakeholders, to disseminate relevant information on microplastics and address recognised inconsistencies in the research. This will include a review of the current state of the knowledge, in addition to a methodological guidance report and informative leaflets. Outputs produced will be disseminated in a variety of ways including via a mailing list, a Wiki page, social media and stakeholder websites, as appropriate depending on the publication.
As the leading UK council for environmental research NERC is already funding a number of microplastics projects ranging from PhD projects to large-scale multi-partner projects (e.g. assessing the fate of microplastics derived from industrial and domestic products in the waste water treatment process, Highlight Topic: nanoplastics, bioavailability and biological effects of microscopic plastic debris in the ocean). Within recent years, NERC has developed a reputation for high-quality research in this field. However, without the appropriate dissemination, the results of these projects will not reach the broader non-academic audience that might benefit from the data.
In summary, this fellowship will bring together stakeholders to raise awareness of the knowledge and communication needs surrounding microplastics. This network will open up dialogue surrounding the issues that need to be addressed, identify how best to address these (leading to application), strengthen and develop communications between stakeholders and ultimately lead to economic benefits for all stakeholders.
This fellowship will allow me to interact with, and unite, a wide range of stakeholders to determine how best to address the concerns and interests of all parties (government, commercial, NGOs, academics), while allowing for relevant and mutually beneficial research to be undertaken. To understand microplastics as a pollutant, enormous research effort is needed to ascertain the ways in which they might have environmental, ecological and societal effects. The formation of a network would allow development of research ideas using a participatory approach to determine what knowledge best supports their requirements and what their customers or funders are willing (and motivated) to support. This integrated approach will allow for valuable development of the research field, allowing reciprocal relationships to be built.
Based on the identified discrepancies between the knowledge required and ongoing research, this fellowship also aims to produce guidance documents and reports, pitched at different levels for accessibility across the range of stakeholders, to disseminate relevant information on microplastics and address recognised inconsistencies in the research. This will include a review of the current state of the knowledge, in addition to a methodological guidance report and informative leaflets. Outputs produced will be disseminated in a variety of ways including via a mailing list, a Wiki page, social media and stakeholder websites, as appropriate depending on the publication.
As the leading UK council for environmental research NERC is already funding a number of microplastics projects ranging from PhD projects to large-scale multi-partner projects (e.g. assessing the fate of microplastics derived from industrial and domestic products in the waste water treatment process, Highlight Topic: nanoplastics, bioavailability and biological effects of microscopic plastic debris in the ocean). Within recent years, NERC has developed a reputation for high-quality research in this field. However, without the appropriate dissemination, the results of these projects will not reach the broader non-academic audience that might benefit from the data.
In summary, this fellowship will bring together stakeholders to raise awareness of the knowledge and communication needs surrounding microplastics. This network will open up dialogue surrounding the issues that need to be addressed, identify how best to address these (leading to application), strengthen and develop communications between stakeholders and ultimately lead to economic benefits for all stakeholders.
People |
ORCID iD |
Alice Horton (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
Danopoulos E
(2023)
Insights into technical challenges in the field of microplastic pollution through the lens of early career researchers (ECRs) and a proposed pathway forward
in Frontiers in Earth Science
Horton A
(2023)
Plastic Pollution in the Global Ocean
Description | This grant has allowed me to build a novel network within the UK to link a range of stakeholders (academia, policymakers, NGOs, industry, consultancies) on the subject of microplastics. This includes the variety of activities on research, environmental measurements/monitoring, policy, campaigns and business strategies, taking into account the research conducted to date, in addition to current research, making this accessible at a range of levels. The network has enabled cross-sector engagement through workshops (including one co-organised with the Royal Society of Chemistry, and another co-organised with the UK Circular Plastics Network, in addition to many attended and presented at, see engagement activities). As such I have gained a broad overview of the needs, concerns and scope of current knowledge within this field, giving me the opportunity to share this information widely throughout the network and facilitate the development of collaborations to ensure efficient and unduplicated working on this subject. This includes close communications with those working on NERC-funded microplastic projects to ensure any outputs are widely disseminated. Through chairing sessions and presenting at large international conferences (e.g. SETAC 2018 & 2019, EGU 2019 & 2020, World Water Week 2018, Arctic Circle Assembly 2018), I am raising the profile of UK microplastics research (covering a range of disciplines) across the international research community. |
Exploitation Route | The relationships built as a result of the network activities have already led to collaborations and will continue to develop, with the idea that ultimately many of these relationships will continue and be self-sustaining long-term. This collaborative cross-sector approach to working is essential; it is recognised that the field of microplastics is not limited to one discipline and a holistic approach is needed to fully understand and address this environmental concern. As a result of the Microplastic Methods Workshop I organised, the workshop report is openly accessible and provides an insight from prominent academic, industry and policy experts on current recommendations in this rapidly changing field, in addition to the main challenges and considerations for future research. This document will help to guide those designing surveys to assess microplastics in environmental samples. With the end of NERC funding for the network in November 2019, the network has now joined with the KTN UK Circular Plastics Network, whereby the network will continue to achieve reach in a larger and even broader multidisciplinary capacity. This has already begun with the webpage (https://ukcpn.co.uk/uk-microplastics-network/) and the co-hosted microfibres workshop, for which we received excellent feedback. |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Communities and Social Services/Policy,Construction,Education,Electronics,Environment,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Government, Democracy and Justice,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology,Retail,Transport |
URL | https://ukcpn.co.uk/uk-microplastics-network/ |
Description | As part of my fellowship I developed notable new connections with the water industry and Defra. This allowed me to share and translate relevant academic knowledge for these stakeholders, helping to guide the direction of funding allocated by these stakeholders to the benefit of academics and the associated stakeholders in terms of the new knowledge gained. This is in addition to being invited to sit on the NERC SPA for Earth System Plastics to help guide the future of NERC funding in this area (although unfortunately this proposal was unsuccessful). In my role as Knowledge Exchange Fellow I represented NERC at the UKRI/NERC Zero Plastic Waste launch at the House of Parliament, for which I also contributed to a video alongside other academics and Marks and Spencer, further highlighting the importance of NERC research in this field and its applicability to wider industry and policy. This has also opened the discussion for more cross-council funded work, for example NERC-EPSRC and NERC-Innovate UK. Furthermore, I have had inputs to: - Highways England project steering group, influencing project outcomes and future research - Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management and Foundation for Water Research advisory panels: input to draft sewage sludge Policy Position Statement (PPS) - Various public engagement opportunities: greater understanding/change in public opinion on the issue of microplastics - Opportunities to guide funding (e.g. discussions with industry, government: BEIS, DEFRA) |
First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Communities and Social Services/Policy,Construction,Education,Electronics,Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology,Retail,Transport |
Impact Types | Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
Description | Sitting on Highways England 'microplastics in road runoff' project steering group |
Organisation | Department of Transport |
Department | Highways Agency |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | I saw on the project steering group for this project on microplastics in road runoff, led by Jacobs and Atkins, and commissioned by Highways England (formerly the Highways Agency). I was on the steering group alongside representatives from the Environment Agency and the British Tyre Manufacturers Association, in addition to the members of the project from Highways England, Jacobs and Atkins. This role allowed me to guide the research questions from the beginning of the project and have academic input into its outcomes, ensuring the outcomes would be useable for a range of stakeholders, while developing new interdisciplinary and cross-sector discussions and collaborations. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partners in this project led the work and did the research. |
Impact | The final report can be found here: https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets.highwaysengland.co.uk/Knowledge+Compendium/Investigation+of+microplastics+from+brake+and+tyre+wear+in+road+runoff.pdf The project webinar can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2plDjTQLT04&feature=youtu.be Those involved were from industry, policy/regulation and academia, but the webinar reached a much wider multidisciplinary spread. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | UK Circular Plastics Network |
Organisation | Knowledge Transfer Network |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | The KTN-funded UK Circular Plastics Network (UKCPN) has effectively assimilated the UK Microplastics Network since the NERC-funding for the network ended in Nov 2019. I am still the lead of this aspect of the network and contribute microplastic-specific expertise and communications, but the UKCPN provides the platform. |
Collaborator Contribution | This partnership has enabled aspects of the network to continue in the absence of formal funding, including external communications, web presence and hosting events. The UKCPN provide the web page, funding for events and administrative and faciliatory support. |
Impact | 'Challenges of Microfibres' virtual workshop led by UK Microplastics Network and co-hosted by UKCPN. Dec 2020. Workshop report in progress. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Appearing on Food Unwrapped (Channel 4) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | In 2021 I appeared on Channel 4's Food Unwrapped to talk about plastics, waste management and microplastics, sharing my knowledge on the current science, policy and industry activities. This is a mainstream TV channel and was broadcast on prime time TV so although I do not know the exact figures, it is likely this was seen (live/on demand) by tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people across the UK. I have had many colleagues and acquaintances since saying they saw me on TV unexpectedly! |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.channel4.com/programmes/food-unwrapped/on-demand/70358-017 |
Description | CIWEM Central Southern branch webinar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | I was invited to give a presentation to the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Sciences (CIWEM) Central Southern branch, an educated but non-specialist audience. The presentation was well received and encouraged a variety of questions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.ciwem.org/events/microplastics-source-to-sea-webinar |
Description | Geological society Plastics in the Environment meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | I was invited as a keynote speaker to this event, aimed at a wide academic audience but attended primarily by postgraduate and early career researchers. The event was hosted online but had very good engagement and interaction. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/~/media/shared/documents/events/2021/Plastics%20Abstract%20Book%20Final.p... |
Description | Microplastics methods presentation hosted by PerkinElmer |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | In June 2020 I gave an online presentation hosted by PerkinElmer on specific aspects on microplastics processing and analysis. The presentation was well-attended and generated wide discussion during and after the workshop, with multiple instances where people have since asked me questions or referred to the methods I presented. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=reg20.jsp&referrer=&eventid=240290... |
Description | NOC open day - microplastics panel discussion |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I chaired and participated in a panel discussion with colleagues to a general audience as part of NOC's 2021 virtual open day. Attendance during the session was unfortunately low, however many people reportedly later tuned in to the recording, which was available for a month following the event. The few who attended at the time engaged with questions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://noc-open-day-2021.vfairs.com/ |
Description | Participation in public engagement event 'Agents of the Deep' at Winchester Science Centre |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Myself and colleagues took a range of interactive activities to the Winchester Science Centre to engage with the general public, especially parents with young children, about microplastic research, and the role they can personally play to reduce plastics in the environment. The event lasted one day only and interaction was constant with excellent engagement at a range of levels. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmuyfAMOnhw |
Description | Plastic pollution free Pakistan, College of Earth and Environment and Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I was invited to speak at this event hosted in Pakistan. The event was hybrid format - I attended virtually, broadcast to a lecture theatre of attendees in person in addition to a wider international audience online. The event hosted a wide audience of stakeholders including the Director General of WWF in Pakistan who closed the event. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWX33XY5BOE |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | http://www.roj.pu.edu.pk/home/section/exam/11765 |
Description | Presentation at online workshop hosted by Akademie Fresenius (Germany) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | I gave a presentation an an industry-facing online conference in October 2020. I presented my work to an international audience, primary representatives from industry and business. There was good engagement and interesting discussions were had as a result. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.akademie-fresenius.com/events/detail/produkt/international-akademie-fresenius-conference... |
Description | Presentation for Ocean Plastic Webinars series: 'Microplastics - from Source to Sea' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | On 7th July 2020 I gave a public presentation via the channel 'Ocean Plastic Webinars'. I gave an overview of my research activities and results for a general audience. The webinar comprised a presentation and a Q&A session. The presentation is still available on YouTube and has had over 700 views. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZUn2z_wSxk |
Description | Running a workshop - challenges of microfibres |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | In my ongoing role as lead of the UK Microplastics Network (with support from the UK Circular Plastics Network (UKCPN, KTN) I designed, led and facilitated a workshop in collaboration with UKCPN called 'Addressing the Challenge of Microfibres - from source of production to environmental contamination'. The workshop comprised expert presentations, Q&A and discussion sessions. The workshop was due to be in person but became virtual due to COVID. This meant that in fact there was a much broader international reach, and attendance of 80-90 participants. We received excellent feedback from a variety of stakeholders following the workshop. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://ktn-uk.org/events/addressing-the-challenge-of-microfibres-from-source-of-production-to-envir... |
Description | SETAC conference Toronto |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I presented research findings relevant to the network at the SETAC conference in Toronto in November 2019. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://toronto.setac.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Toronto-abstract-book-web.pdf |
Description | Session chair at EGU 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I chaired a session on plastic pollution at EGU 2019, one of the largest geosciences conferences in the world. This gained a wide audience and led to further discussions with co-convenors, presenters and audience members on relevant future activities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2019/session/31658 |
Description | Session chair at Global Research in Plastic Sustainability (GRIPS) conference 2021 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Through my connection with the UK Circular Plastics Network (where the UK Microplastics Network now sits since the end of this award funding) I was invited to participate in the GRIPS conference as a session chair. This was a non-academic audience, primarily attended by industry and policymakers, therefore a very useful platform to discuss science with a view to its wider use and applications. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.ukcpn.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/GRIPS-Programme-Final-V-min.pdf |
Description | Session chair at SETAC Europe conference (virtual) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I chaired a session at SETAC Europe 2021 entitled 'Global plastic contamination: a journey towards scientifically informed policies and solutions'. This was a very interesting session and enabled engagement with researchers with whom I had not previously communicated. The session material (recorded presentations) was available on-demand, and there was a live discussion/Q&A with the presenters which proved very fruitful. I learned a lot, and this gave me ideas to take into my future research and engagement. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://europe2021.setac.org/programme/scientific-programme/topic-overview/ |
Description | Session chair at international conference - EGU 2020 (virtual) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I virtually chaired a session at EGU 2020 entitled 'Transformation, flux and fate of microplastics in aquatic systems' which achieved >100 participants. This helped to achieve the award's goal of knowledge exchange, sharing and in-depth discussions, raising the profile of NERC (and other) funded research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2020/session/35670 |
Description | Talk on microplastics at 'Entangled Futures' event organised by University of The Arts, London (Central Saint Martins) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | I was invited to speak at an event as part of the cross-disciplinary lecture series 'Entangled Futures', organised by students of the University of the Arts, London, Central Saint Martins. The aim of the event was to blend knowledge and research in science and ecology with art and sustainability. The event was hybrid and I attended remotely. The audience were predominantly undergraduate art students, with postgraduates, lecturers and general public also in attendance. I have since had requests for further information including follow-up dialogue with a student who was interested in pursuing microplastics research as part of a sustainability project within the MSc programme Material Futures at UAL. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://leonardo.info/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=678 |
Description | The 1st International Symposium on Marine Science and Engineering for Young Scientists and Postgraduates, Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | I was an invited keynote speaker at this conference hosted in Hong Kong but held online. I believe the event was very widely internationally attended by a range of stakeholders. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://hkb.ust.hk/1st-international-symposium-marine-science-and-engineering-young-scientists-and-p... |