An ECI Conference Series
July 4 - 8, 2027
Davos, Switzerland
About This Conference
Plastics are ubiquitous in all aspects of modern life, including food packaging, health care and household products. There has been a massive increase in plastics production over the past several decades and there has been serious attention paid to managing plastic wastes, particularly focused on recycling/reuse. However, as of the present time it has not been feasible, either technically or economically, to achieve a fully circular system. Those plastic materials that are not processed for reuse, known as end-of-life plastics, end up in landfills or in other waste processing systems (e.g., incineration) or advanced recycling (e.g., pyrolysis) or directly disposed of in the environment. Here, micro- and nano-plastic (MNP) may be generated through incomplete decomposition of the materials. These MNP enter the air, soil and water environments where plants, animals, and humans may be exposed. The widespread occurrence of plastic globally, including in the ocean environment, has caused concern in the scientific community. Recently, there have been reports of MNP being found in drinking water supplies of major cities, raising additional concerns over potential public health risks.
As an example of focus on MNP, the US National Science Foundation (NSF) has identified the need for fundamental research in the areas of characterizing and separating plastics and decomposing them into environmentally benign or useful molecules. Ideally, any transformations would be accomplished prior to plastic reaching the environment, e.g., possible technological advances in the design of water and wastewater treatment systems may offer some viable solutions. Notably, the plastics industry is devoting considerable resources to address this issue.
This ECI conference will present timely research and technological advancements in the area of MNP in the environment while considering impacts on the ecosystem and human health. University researchers, representatives from the plastics industry, and representatives of governmental and non-governmental institutions will present critical MNP information as will policy makers, funding agencies and financial institutes. Among the focus areas that will be addressed by keynote speakers and presenters are the following:
- History and evolution of the MNP problem
- Governmental and legislative initiatives
- Characterization of environmental and human health related MNP
- Analytical methods of MNP detection
- Scientific and technological advancements to cure the problem, e.g. source reduction, water/wastewater treatment, recycle
- Prevention, e.g., packaging changes, material substitutions
The full scope of the MNP issue will be addressed, that being; characterization of MNP, cures to mitigate environmental and human health impacts, and preventive strategies going forward. Achieving a circular economy for plastics is being analyzed and debated on the global stage, but it is evident that MNP are widespread in the environment and mitigation of potential risks is a public health priority.
Conference Organization
Conference Chairs
David Hunkeler
Aqua+Tech
David is the Director of AQUA+TECH Specialties in Switzerland. The company, in its 29th year, develops, produces and markets water treatment solutions to five continents. It was selected as the top environmental company in Europe and David was Switzerland’s entrepreneur of the year. David has written eleven books, including Water: Resource-Stewardship-Treatment, and this is the fifth ECI conference that he has organized. He also has created three charities which support over 170 people as well as biomedical research.
Kati Bell
Hazen and Sawyer
Dr. Kati Bell is a Vice President with Hazen and Sawyer and Global Director of Technology and Innovation, with over 25 years of experience in the water/wastewater industry. Leveraging her global experience of billions gallons per day of treatment capacity, she leads innovation and supports execution of highly complex technical projects. Kati has experience in nearly every aspect of the water cycle with a focus on integrated solutions, emerging contaminants (PFAS and microplastics), water reuse, wastewater treatment/disinfection, related public policy, and permitting and regulatory support. She is keenly aware of the importance of leveraging operational knowledge throughout the lifecycle of a project and is focused on bringing this perspective forward for clients.
Ralf Kaegi
Eawag
Dr. Ralf Kaegi is a senior scientist and group leader at Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology. Heading the particle laboratory at Eawag, his research focuses on the environmental fate and impacts of emerging contaminants, with emphasis on engineered and anthropogenic particles, including polymers, and critical raw materials. He investigates their sources, transport, transformation, and removal in wastewater systems and the aquatic environments. His work integrates analytical chemistry, field studies, and environmental mass-balance approaches. Ralf Kaegi is actively involved in national and international research collaborations and has served on the organizing committees of several scientific conferences.
ECI Technical Liason
Nicholas Clesceri
Nicholas Clesceri a Professor Emeritus at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Civil and Environmental Engineering, where he has published in the Water field. During this tenure, he was the NSF Program Director for Environmental Engineering for a decade. He is also the Chairman of ECI's Conferences Committee.
Scientific Organizing Committee
Kati Bell, Hazen and Sawyer, USA
Nicholas Clesceri, RPI (Emeritus), USA
David Hunkeler, AquaPlusTech, Switzerland
Ralf Kaegi, Eawag, Switzerland
Bernd Nowack, EMPA, Switzerland
Linda Wang, Purdue University, USA
Mark Wiesner, Duke University, USA