Agricultural plastics are coming to the forefront of the global agenda as research on “plasticulture” reveals both their benefits and pollution trade-offs. Plasticulture has gained particular significance in the context of UNEA’s global plastic treaty negotiations and FAO Committee on Agriculture talks on agricultural plastic guidance. Plastic products are entrenched throughout food systems, and their usage is continuously increasing, including in countries where capacity of properly managing plastic waste is limited. Shortfalls in agricultural plastics’ usage and waste management result in soil pollution. Scientific investigation into the occurrence and effects of plastics on soil is in early stages, and some evidence shows the likelihood of adverse effects.
In 2021 the European Commission financed the PAPILLONS and MINAGRIS projects, two large consortia including about 40 research institutes from Europe and China, to conduct research on agricultural plastics. This includes sources, occurrence, behavior, and impacts of microplastic and nanoplastic pollution in soil from agricultural plastics’ usage.
The 2nd PAPILLONS/MINAGRIS Stakeholder Forum will be held 10:00 – 13:00 (EET) / 09:00-12:00 (CET) on 13th October 2022 in Athens, Greece at the Museum of Agriculture in a hybrid form for both in-person and virtual attendees. The meeting is cohosted by the Agricultural University of Athens and IKHAPP (the International Knowledge Hub Against Plastic Pollution).
This semester meeting topic is: Plasticulture: an international perspective on environmental sustainability. We will provide our international stakeholders an opportunity to gain insights and participate in the debate on international policy developments on the use of plastic in agriculture. Scientists will present the latest updates from research activities on the use, diffusion, management, and ecological impacts of agricultural plastics emerging from PAPILLONS and MINAGRIS projects, and from other research activities
The meeting will include multiple interventions from high-level FAO and EU officials as well as stakeholders across the EU. Confirmed speakers include Richard Thompson, Agricultural Plastics and Sustainability Specialist from FAO and Prof. Defu He, Research Director, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences Ph.D. from East China Normal University, among others.
A detailed agenda of the event will be available soon.
Please register for the event at: https://forms.office.com/r/vU2Nv1Tvvv
SAVE THE DATE!
It is a pleasure to announce the date and time for our first, and in-person 2022 PAPILLONS consortium meeting with our next Stakeholder Forum.
When: 10th-13th October 2022 (WP leaders also 14th October).
Where: Museum of Agriculture / Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
PAPILLONS partners pioneered soil micronanoplastic (MNP) research, host the majority of European analytical capacity for assessing soil contamination and will provide validated, high-throughput analysis for MNPs in soil, which we intend to share with the rest of the world!
We call upon therefore all stakeholders, and interested parties in the world of agricultural plastics to join our event, and learn more about the PAPILLONS project in order to discuss, and co-create together the next steps along the way!
The Stakeholder Forum will represent the occasion to meet our scientists, who work on the cutting-edge topic of the ecological and socioeconomic sustainability of agricultural plastics, and apply the project’s Multi-actor approach. We welcome scientists, actors from the agricultural and policy sector, and world-leading industries as well!
More information with link to register and a preliminary agenda will be coming soon! 🙂
For an agenda of the consortium meeting, and other practical information please on the text!
If you are interested in joining the event please contact us at: [email protected]
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