Research has shown that soils are a major sink for microplastics. The international conference provides an opportunity to learn and exchange knowledge on the topic of microplastics in soils and is aimed at scientists and decision-makers alike. The first day of the event focuses on the state of the science, the second day on identifying policy solutions and recommendations for action at the European and international level.

This hybrid event will take place on 19 and 20 October 2022 at the Neue Mälzerei, Friedenstraße 91, D-10249 Berlin in Germany, allowing for both in-person and online participation (for details on participation and registration, please see below).

A poster exhibition will be part of the conference. Please view the posters here:

Influence of dissolved organic matter in the transport of microplastics in soil
Federico M. Ivanic, Georg Guggenberger, Jannis F. Carstens

Hidden secrets of soil micobe - micoplastic interplay
Stephan Rohrbach, Gerasimos Gkoutselis, Linda Hink, Alfons R. Weig, Martin Obst, Adrian Ho, Gerhard Rambold & Marcus A. Horn

Transport of Microplastics in Agricultural Soils - Analyzing Surface Water Runoff as an Environmental Pathway
Saunak Sinha Ray, Tomas Dostal, David Zumr (Czech Technical University in Prague, Department of Landscape and Water Conservation)

Microplastics in soil induce a new microbial habitat, with consequences for bulk soil microbiomes
Susanne Kublik, Silvia Gschwendtner, Tobias Magritsch, Viviane Radl, Matthias C. Rillig and Michael Schloter

Material- and size-dependent effects of submicron and nanoplastics after oral uptake in vitro
Maxi Paul, Mariam Salim, Marwin-Dirk Wälisch, Albert Braeuning, Holger Sieg (German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department of Food Safety)

First indicative analysis of wwtp sludge samples in hungary and its analytical challenges
Gábor BORDÓS, Bence Prikler, Zoltán Palotai

Challenges of sample preparation and analysis of standard sand and sediment samples in an interlaboratory comparism test – a participant’s approach
Bence PRIKLER, Gábor BORDÓS, Zoltán PALOTAI, Edit KASZAB, Rózsa SEBŐK, Sándor SZOBOSZLAY

As a result of the conference, concrete recommendations for policy action will be derived. To achieve this, the content of the conference will be divided into three thematic areas:

•     behavior and effects of plastics in soils;
•     detection of plastics in soils;
•     deduction of the need for political action.

The Ecologic Institute will prepare, organize, conduct and follow up the conference. If the pandemic situation permits, the conference will be held as a hybrid event, with approximately 75 people in attendance. The event will be recorded and broadcast live on the Federal Environment Agency's YouTube channel.