APEC Nanoplastics Workshop 2021

The Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) workshop on 'Nanoplastics in Marine Debris' was organised and hosted by WRc with the aim to explore, share and progress micro and nanoplastics implications and mitigation research.

Learn more and access workshop resources including the final report, video field trip and speaker presentions.

An APEC-wide community combatting plastic pollution

This workshop facilitated the sharing of best practices for characterization, understanding fate/transport, exposure, risk assessment, human and ecological health implications, and mitigation and remediation of micro- and nanoplastics (NMPs) in APEC economies. Outcomes supported the implementation of the APEC Roadmap on Marine Debris and core work of the APEC Ocean and Fisheries Working Group (OFWG).

Policymakers, program managers from research, funding, and regulatory agencies, industry representatives and scientists from APEC economies were invited to come together to participate and learn from each other’s experiences, share information and ideas on ongoing and planned projects, and develop plans for leveraged international efforts to address these global issues across the APEC region.

Legacy resources helping to share knowledge

The workshop final report summarizing all sessions can be viewed on the APEC website. In addition a virtual field-trip event was held and feature length video developed in conjunction with Dr Jennifer Lynch of Hawaii Pacific University. 

View the virtual field trip here Download the report here

Promotion of innovative technical solutions

Enabling better understanding of the amounts, distribution, and frequency of marine debris occurrence while sharing experiences and measures being taken towards producing alternatives to single-use plastics and new materials that do not degrade to nanoplastics.

Health & environmental knowledge transfer

Promoting the development of knowledge-based economies by enabling improved understanding of nanoplastics, which is vital to the health and well-being of APEC economies; safeguarding the quality of life through environmentally sound growth.

Cross-sector international collaboration

Taking a multi-stakeholder approach with invited attendees including government officials, civil society, private sector, academia, international organizations, and others in identifying opportunities for international cooperation in nanoplastics mitigation.

Event Recorded Presentations

Goals, Outcome, Expectation


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Collection & Characterisation


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Lab Tour: Measuring NMPs


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Environmental & Human Effects


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Regulatory & Regional Perspectives


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Terminology & Harmonizing Methods


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Mitigation & Recycling Strategies


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Current & Proposed Regulations


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Approaches for Nanoplastics


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Summary with Session Chairs


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Case Study
Workshop on micro- and nanoplastics in marine debris

WRc organised and virtually hosted a workshop on behalf of APEC to facilitate the sharing of best practices on a range of micro- and nanoplastics topics and creation of a new community of experts across the economies.

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Microplastics and Nanoplastics Measurement and Strategy
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Thought Leadership Article
The challenge of microplastics - measuring, monitoring and modelling
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