The PlasticsFatE project proudly announces the launch of its first policy brief, “Harmonization and Standardization in Plastic Exposure and Hazard Assessment.” As the first in a series of four, this policy brief tackles critical issues surrounding micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs), shedding light on their pervasive impact on our environment, human health, and the pressing need for unified methodologies in their study.
A Milestone in Plastics Research and Policy
Authored by PlasticsFatE partners Bernd Giese and Lasse Steffens from BOKU, Austria, this policy brief is a culmination of over three years of intensive work undertaken by PlasticsFatE research teams, supported by inputs from global experts. It is available for download here. The document draws from research findings, stakeholder consultations, and collaborative events, setting the stage for informed policy and regulatory actions.
Key Highlights of the Policy Brief
The policy brief outlines a comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges posed by MNPs:
The Importance of Harmonization:
What it is: Harmonization focuses on making test protocols and data collection methods comparable across different studies and regions.
Why it matters: The absence of standardized methods has led to inconsistent data, limiting the ability to assess the full scope of MNP risks.
Proposed actions: Develop uniform guidelines for sampling, processing, and analyzing MNPs in various environments such as water, air, soil, and food
Advancing Standardization:
What it is: Standardization involves establishing global reference materials and analytical techniques.
Why it matters: It ensures reliability, reproducibility, and credibility of research findings, critical for informed policymaking.
Proposed actions: Implement international standards for measurement techniques like FTIR spectroscopy and Py-GC/MS, and promote interlaboratory comparisons to validate these methods
Exposure and Hazard Assessment:
What we know: MNPs enter human bodies through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact, with potential health impacts such as oxidative stress and inflammation.
Research gaps: There is a need for chronic exposure data, long-term studies, and an understanding of how weathered plastics behave differently from pristine particles.
Policy relevance: Insights will aid in developing EU regulations to minimize exposure risks
Call to Action for Policymakers:
The brief urges the adoption of precautionary measures to limit MNP pollution, establish regulatory frameworks for permissible levels of MNPs in consumer products, and enhance monitoring systems across EU nations
Insights From Key Events and Collaborations
This policy brief is informed by findings from significant PlasticsFatE events:
World Café Event, Frankfurt (November 2023): An interactive platform where experts discussed MNP exposure and hazard assessment challenges.
Expert Round Table, Burg Windeck (September 2024): Addressed recycling challenges, global coordination, and the development of a Decision Support System (DSS) for sustainable material management
Upcoming Final Round Table, DECHEMA, Frankfurt (January 2025): This event will refine recommendations for the policy roadmap
Beyond the Brief: Towards a Comprehensive Roadmap
This policy brief forms part of a cornerstone of PlasticsFatE’s broader goals. The next three Policy Briefs will cover exposure; effects; and microplastics as a permanent part of our food and bodies.
Our findings and consultations will contribute to the development of a comprehensive roadmap under the European research cluster to understand the health impacts of micro- and nanoplastics (CUSP), aiming to align scientific insights with actionable policies. The roadmap will cover critical areas such as exposure assessment, risk analysis, and innovative recycling strategies
An Invitation to Engage
PlasticsFatE invites researchers, policymakers, and the public to explore its rich repository of scientific outputs. Visit the PlasticsFatE Scientific Output page to access the policy brief and other cutting-edge resources.
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