Workshop on cross-cutting topic 2 "Evaluation methods of possible effects of plastics in the environment (incl. toxicology)"

About 30 scientists from seven collaborative projects (MicBin, PLASTRAT, PLAWES, TextileMission, VerPlaPoS, MikroPlaTaS) of the research focus Plastics in the Environment met for a first exchange on the question of ecotoxicological effects of plastics in the environment. The workshop was organized by PD. Dr. Wendt-Potthoff (UFZ), Prof. Dr. Christian Laforsch (University of Bayreuth) and the Ecologic Institute.

The workshop was the prelude to the cross-cutting topic "Evaluation methods of possible effects of plastics in the environment (incl. toxicology)", which is one of currently five cross-cutting topics within the research focus Plastics in the Environment. Over the next three years, many scientists will network in this cross-cutting topic and address open questions on the ecotoxicological effects of (micro)plastics.

In addition to the presentation of the individual collaborative projects, there were guest contributions by Prof. Dr. Rita Triebskorn (MiWa), Dr. Annika Batel (JPI Ephemare) & Dr.-Ing. Kaori Sakaguchi-Söder (JPI Plastox). In addition, agreements were made on the use of identical reference materials and on the harmonization of experimental designs. This is intended to create a better basis for the comparability of the results.