Microplastics are everywhere – in our environment, in the human body and in the headlines. Sensationalised media reports about plastic particles, such as “People consume the equivalent of a credit card every week” or “There is as much plastic in the brain as in a plastic spoon”, are shaping the public debate, even though they have been partially refuted by science and do not yet allow any conclusions to be drawn about actual health effects. “Research into microplastics has made enormous progress in recent years. According to the current state of scientific knowledge, microplastics pose a relatively low health risk to humans. Nevertheless, there are gaps in the data that need to be clarified for a scientific risk assessment,” says AGES Managing Director Johannes Pleiner-Duxneuner.
“In principle, microplastics can enter the food chain,” emphasises Andreas Hensel, President of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR): “There is currently no scientific evidence that microplastics in food pose a health risk. Through our research, we aim to fill knowledge gaps regarding particle size, levels in food, and the impact on human health.” At a consumer information event organised by AGES in cooperation with the German BfR and the “Environment and Climate” research network at the University of Vienna, experts will outline the current state of knowledge on microplastics in humans and the environment and engage in an objective discussion of questions regarding risks, perception and responsibility.
Microplastics are a complex issue that affects the environment, health and politics in equal measure. “Events like this help to communicate scientific findings in an accessible way and to discuss solutions together,” says Thilo Hofmann, Co-Director of the Environment and Climate Research Hub (ECH) at the University of Vienna: “A factor that is often underestimated is tyre abrasion: it is one of the largest sources of microplastics and the pollutants they contain in the environment. On average, around one kilogramme of microplastics is generated per person per year from car tyre abrasion alone.” Austria is active in this regard at European level and has a national microplastics action plan.
The event “Understanding Microplastics!” is an important opportunity for anyone wishing to engage with microplastics and potential solutions beyond the headlines. Research into the health effects of micro- and nanoplastics on humans only really gained momentum in 2015. However, the finding “it has been proven” often leads to dramatisation and provides little insight into potential health risks. Experts from the fields of risk communication and assessment, pharmacy and analytics, cancer research and pathology, as well as microbiome and microplastics research, will bring us up to date. A panel discussion will examine the societal and regulatory challenges and ask what we can learn from microplastics for future innovations, by ensuring that technical progress is thought through right down to its residues and consequences.