Plastic in the Environment – Final Conference of the BMBF Research Programme

A Digital Event

Event: Conference
Date: 20 - 21 April 2021
Location: online
Hashtag: #plastikinderumwelt

Plastic in the environment is a topic of immense significance, which has only grown in relevance since the Coronavirus pandemic.

Water pollution (oceans, rivers, lakes, ground water) and plastic/microplastics in the environment are among the top environmental concerns for many people. In 2017, the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) launched 'Plastic in the Environment' as a major research initiative to address existing knowledge gaps in this area.

In this context, 20 research projects with over a hundred partners from science, industry, associations and municipalities have been investigating numerous aspects of plastic pollution, as well as possible sources, sinks and effects of plastic in the environment. The projects aim to develop and establish scientific procedures, methods, instruments and concepts for the investigation of plastic in the environment. Research results shall subsequently be employed to gain an overall picture of the environmental impacts of plastics along their chain of production from use to disposal, and to identify potential solutions and policy recommendations.

The conference:

Presented project results from the 20 joint projects under the 'Plastic in the Environment' umbrella;
Offered workshops on cross-cutting issues with presentations and stakeholder discussions;
Facilitated expert discussions on solutions for reducing plastic inputs in the environment, including feasibility;
Created opportunities for exchange with key players working on this topic.

Please find more information, including the agenda, presentations, and the conference proceedings on the conference website.

Presentation and discussion of research results from 20 projects on the issue of plastic pollution

Towards an Effective Science-Policy Interface for a Global Plastics Treaty

Year 2024

Publication:Policy Brief

Amidst intense global efforts to tackle plastic pollution, the Scientists' Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty highlights the critical role of reducing primary plastic polymers. The Scientists' Coalition, consisting of leading scientists worldwide, argues in its latest policy brief that without a significant reduction in the production of these polymers, the effective fight against plastic pollution is not possible. The urgent call aims to draw attention to the need to break the plastic cycle at its source - the production of primary plastic polymers. This approach is crucial as it directly reduces the amount of plastics that end up in our environment.

Primary Plastic Polymers: Urgently needed upstream reduction

Year 2024

Presentation:Speech

On 13 March 2024, Doris Knoblauch (Ecologic Institute) gave a lecture on "Plastics and the Environment" highlighting the need for a global plastics treaty at a postgraduate course, where 21 experts from ministries, authorities, municipalities, non-governmental organizations and industry from low-income countries and emerging economies were represented and exchanged. The focus was on why plastic pollution is a problem and why we urgently need an international, legally binding plastics treaty.

Plastics & the Environment – Why We Need a Plastics Treaty

13 March 2024
Doris Knoblauch

News

Doris Knoblauch was an observer at the negotiations in Nairobi during the week and, as part of the Scientists' Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty (Scientist's Coalition for short), provided various negotiating delegations with scientific information. The Scientist's Coalition is an independent network of scientists around the world who conduct research on plastics, chemicals, and health, covering various disciplines and aspects. A team was on site to answer open questions quickly, scientifically and independently.

UN Negotiations on a Potential Plastics Agreement were Stuck in Nairobi

A long way to go

13 - 19 November 2023

Publication:Article

Plastics Treaty Text Must Center Ecosystems

Letter in Science

Year 2023

Publication:Article

This article illustrates the communication strategies that were successfully applied in the citizen science program Plastic Pirates in Germany. The program engages schoolchildren, teachers and youth groups in plastic pollution research. A variety of communication strategies have been implemented and continuously revised and adapted since the start of the program in 2016.

Sharing Communication Insights of the Citizen Science Program Plastic Pirates

Best practices from 7 years of engaging schoolchildren and teachers in plastic pollution research

Year 2023

News

Photo, taken during the plastic negotiations. Text "Help us to empower the independent voice of science by supporting our involvement in the plastics treaty negotiations" and a donation button

Ecologic Institute is a UN-accredited voice for a global plastics agreement. But we lack funding for the next decisive round of negotiations in Busan (South Korea) in November 2024. By participating, we are contributing to counteracting lobbying and enabling delegates to be properly informed. In Ottawa, we are currently providing specialist information on the effects of plastic production and consumption. Your donation will enable us to strengthen independent science and continue this important work!

Strengthen the Independent Voice of Science

Support our participation in the global plastics negotiations!

22 April 2024

News

After the euphoria had been dampened at the beginning of the negotiation week in Paris, there was a good result in the end: The Chair H.E. Mr. Gustavo Adolfo Meza-Cuadra Velasquez and the INC Secretariat were given a mandate to present a first draft ("zero draft") in the run-up to the next negotiations. This is an important next step. Doris Knoblauch accompanied the INC-2 negotiations in Paris for Ecologic Institute.

Why the Negotiations on the UN Plastics Agreement in Paris were a Success

An important step

29 May - 2 June 2023

Publication:Book

For many people, plastic bottles have become an indispensable part of everyday life. However, the production and throwing away of plastic bottles is harmful to the environment and the climate. Ideally, PET bottles are recycled and reused. But what happens to the bottles during the recycling process? "Die Geisterstunde" by Christian Tielmann is the third PIXI book produced as part of the BMBF research focus "Plastics in the Environment" with Stiftung Lesen and Carlsen Verlag and is dedicated to the recycling of plastic bottles.

Die Geisterstunde

Year 2023

Funding: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany
Organizer: Ecologic Institute, Germany
Team: Doris Knoblauch

Dr. Ulf Stein

Hannes Schritt

Chiara Mazzetti

Elena von Sperber

Karl Lehmann
Date: 20 - 21 April 2021
Location: online
Language: German
Project: Scientific Coordination of Research Projects on "Plastics in the Environment – Sources • Sinks • Solutions" (PlastikNet)
Project ID: 2295
Keywords: Adaptation

Coastal + Marine

Communication

Economics

Education

Governance

Plastics

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Water

research focus, limnic systems, green economy, consumption, recycling, plastics, microplastics

Germany, sea. ocean

analytics

Further Links

project website: Plastics in the Environment

PublicationPosterPlastics in the Environment: Social Science Research – Poster Series

How is a topic such as microplastics socially problematised? How can consumers use plastics more sustainably? And what role do the interests and perceptions of different actors play in international plastics regulation? These and other questions are posed by social... Read more

Ecologic Institute 2019: Plastik in der Umwelt: Sozialwissenschaftliche Forschung. Überblick über Forschungsgegenstände, Ergebnisarten und Zielgruppen der Projekte mit sozialwissenschaftlichem Anteil im BMBF-Forschungsschwerpunkt "Plastik in der Umwelt". PlastikNet Poster Series. Poster.

PublicationFlyerPlastic in the Environment – Sources • Sinks • Solutions – Project Flyer

○ Plastic in the Environment

Ecologic Institute designed a promotional flyer as part of the visual identity for the project "Plastic in the Environment – Sources • Sinks • Solutions." The flyer summarizes the general objectives and aims of the project, contains a list of partners and contact... Read more

Ecologic Institut (2018): Plastic in the Environment. Flyer

PublicationWebsitePlastic in the Environment

Projektwebsite: Plastik in der Umwelt

The Ecologic Institute designed and developed the bilingual project website "Plastic in the Environment". It contains an interactive map, which gives an overview of all funded projects. Furthermore the website provides detailed information on the projects and related... Read more

Ecologic Institut (2018): Plastic in the Environment. URL: www.bmbf-plastik.de/en

PublicationDocumentMicroplastics Analytics

Diskussionspapier

This discussion paper, edited by Ecologic Institute, presents the physicochemical investigation methods used in the research focus "Plastics in the Environment", in particular for the analysis of microplastics. Therefore, representatives of the joint research projects... Read more

Braun, Ulrike; Jekel, Martin; Gerdts, Gunnar; Ivleva, Natalia; Reiber, Jens (2018): Discussion Paper Microplastics Analytics. Sampling, Preparation and Detection Methods. Discussion paper published in the course of the research focus "Plastics in the Environment – Sources • Sinks • Solutions". Berlin: Ecologic Institute.