Plastic is an integral part of our everyday lives: from shampoo to vinyl records, from shower gel to deodorant, from clothing and cosmetics to synthetic fibres, compost and sewage sludge, not to mention the entire electrical and mobility sector: we are living in a plastic age. Experts even speak of a ‘plasticised planet’. Plastic is light, versatile, practical and sometimes indispensable - in medicine, for example.
The downside: plastic particles can even be found in the Antarctic and high up in the Himalayas - and more than 150 million tonnes of plastic waste in our oceans. According to the European Union, 4.8 to 12.7 million tonnes of plastic are added every year. Not only the oceans and the stomachs of fish and birds are affected, but also humans. Plastic, especially microplastic and nanoplastic, ends up in the heart and brain, liver, lungs and blood. There is plenty of legislation at national and EU level to better protect humans, animals and the environment. The question arises: What are the ways out of the plastic flood without sacrificing vital components? The event aims to get to the bottom of this question - with a top-class programme and panel.
