International Symposium on Global Marine and Environmental Plastic Research

Plastic waste released into the environment through human activities (environmental plastics) affects a wide range of environmental compartments, including not only the oceans but also inland waters, the atmosphere, and road dust, making it a global environmental challenge.
Kyushu University is conducting multidisciplinary research to address this issue. Since fiscal year 2025, Integrated Initiative for Designing Future Society, Kyushu University, has been leading the Environmental Plastics Research Complex (EPReC), an integrated, implementation-oriented research and development program. EPReC brings together research on the occurrence of plastics and the prediction of their concentrations in various environments, including soil, rivers, and oceans; plastic waste management and bioplastic production; approaches from Earth sciences, polymer science, and environmental toxicology; and social science research.
Against this background, an international symposium will be held, bringing together researchers from Japan and abroad who are involved in international efforts to monitor marine plastics. The symposium will provide an opportunity to discuss the current state of marine plastic pollution and the challenges associated with its monitoring, as well as to explore future initiatives aimed at addressing the broader environmental plastics problem. The event is open not only to researchers, companies, local governments, and organizations involved in this field, but also to members of the general public interested in marine plastic pollution.