3B Microplast - an emerging environmental problem
Introduction to workshop:
Microplastic is a topic that has received increasing attention in the past years from researchers, industry, the general public and regulators. In this workshop we will discuss recent Danish initiatives within this field with particular focus on sources, effects and treatment technologies. The starting point of the debate will be the ongoing project ‘Mikroplast - Forekomst, effekter og kilder i Danmark’ (‘Microplast – occurrence, effects and sources in Denmark’) which is carried out by a COWI/DTU/IVL consortium for the Danish EPA. The topics of the following discussion however be shaped based on the specific interests of the workshop participants.
Output from workshop:
The purpose of the workshop on microplastics was to present the work that DTU is doing and plans to do in regard to microplastics especially in regard to the occurrence and ecotoxicity of microplastics. Ideas about how to assess the factual environmental exposure of micro plastics from Danish beaches and waste water sewage treatment plants was discussed as well as possible methods for characterizing and quantifying microplastics in the environment.
Finally, the need to assess the ecotoxiciology of nanoplastics as well as microplastics was identified and discussed.