Plastics: From cradle to grave and resurrection

Posted on: 13/12/2018

SCI and RSC are organising a conference on challenges and opportunities in plastics on 19th June 2019 in London.

The use and mis-use of plastics has attracted considerable attention. The UK government has already pledged to work to reduce waste plastic. The Chancellor Philip Hammond announced a ¬£20m fund in the spring budget to help businesses and universities to develop “new technologies” to help achieve the target of eliminating “avoidable plastic waste” by 2042. There will be upcoming funding calls as well as a need to review the whole area to reduce, replace and refine the use of plastics.

This conference, organised by SCI’s¬†Environment, Health, Safety¬†and¬†Food¬†Group and RSC’s Environmental Chemistry, Toxicology and Food Chemistry Groups brings together key sectors with the aim of focussing on assessing challenges and opportunities for researchers, industry and government. There will be a thematic link between the uses of plastics, their replacement with other materials, where it is advantageous, the toxicological hazards and benefits of plastic use and the post-use challenges and opportunities.

KTN’s polymers expert¬†Dr Sally Beken will be speaking at this event, and KTN’s Professor Bryan Hanley is on the event’s organising committee.

Photo galleries are not available for content from the previous KTN website: we apologise for this.

Call for posters

Opportunities are available for a limited number of posters. Interested applicants should send an abstract of one A4 page or 300 words maximum, indicating title and authors, to¬†conferences@soci.org¬†by Friday 31st May 2019 (deadline has been extended) with the subject line “SCI-RSC Plastics, from Cradle to Grave and Resurrection – Poster Abstract”. Selected poster presenters will be given the opportunity to give a 3-minute presentation. Prizes will be given for the best poster and presentation.

Exhibition and Sponsorship opportunities

An exhibition will take place alongside the conference during refreshment breaks for companies and related organisations who may wish to exhibit. For further information and prices, please email conferences@soci.org. Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Programme

The programme currently includes:

Theme 1 – Plastics – Use and abuse

  • Plastics, packaging and politics -¬†Stuart Foster, RECOUP
  • PVC in healthcare -¬†Ruth Stringer, Healthcare without harm
  • Microplastics: Risks and regulation -¬†Julius Krei√üig, Wood PLC

Theme 2 – Challenges for plastics

  • Why the waste hierarchy does not work for plastics -¬†Peter Reineck, Peter Reineck Associates Limited
  • Chemical upcycling of plastic waste – Andrew Dove, University of Birmingham

Theme 3 – Post-use challenges

  • Disposal of plastics. Biological removal -¬†John McGeehan, University of Portsmouth
  • Challenges in consumer packaging recycling -¬†Richard McKinley, AXION

Theme 4 – What has been done and what are next steps

  • Innovate UK and other government initiatives -¬†Sally Beken, KTN

Discussion of afternoon presentations

A series of short presentations/pitches for researchers and companies (3 minutes each) to explain needs, opportunities and technologies.

Summary and potential next steps and discussion

Find out more and register

Plastics, from Cradle to Grave and Resurrection is taking place at SCI in London on Wednesday 19th June 2019.

Further information on registration fees and programme updates can be found on the event webpage here.

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