27–28 November 2025 | Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

The Arab Network for Emerging Environmental Pollutants (EPN) participated as an official sponsor of the Microplastics in Focus Conference, held on 27–28 November 2025 in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

The international conference, hosted by CRC CARE (Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment), brought together leading scientists, policymakers, industry representatives, and environmental practitioners to address the growing global challenge of microplastics pollution, under the theme “From Environmental Impact to Practical Solutions.”

Strengthening Arab presence in global scientific dialogue

EPN’s sponsorship reflects its strategic commitment to international scientific engagement and to amplifying the presence of Arab expertise in global discussions on emerging environmental pollutants. By supporting the conference, EPN reinforced its role as a regional platform actively contributing to global efforts to understand, monitor, and mitigate microplastics pollution.

The conference program focused on cutting-edge research related to sources, fate, transport, detection technologies, human exposure, and health implications of microplastics, as well as innovative remediation and policy solutions.

Building bridges with international partners

EPN’s participation alongside international partners—including the University of Newcastle, the Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), planetCARE Academy, and the City of Newcastle—highlighted the importance of cross-regional collaboration in addressing complex environmental challenges that transcend national borders.

Conference organizers emphasized that engagement from regional networks such as EPN is essential to ensuring that scientific knowledge and technological advances are shared globally and adapted to diverse regional contexts.

Advancing solutions-oriented research

Discussions at the conference moved beyond problem characterization, emphasizing practical, scalable solutions for microplastics monitoring and mitigation. Sessions explored advanced analytical tools, including microspectroscopy and machine-learning-based detection, as well as policy frameworks aimed at reducing plastic leakage into the environment.

EPN noted that insights gained from the conference will support its ongoing work in capacity building, technical guidance development, and policy-relevant research across the Arab region.

Commitment to global environmental sustainability

By sponsoring the Microplastics in Focus Conference 2025, EPN reaffirmed its commitment to global environmental sustainability, the One Health approach, and the translation of science into action. The network highlighted that international partnerships are critical for addressing emerging pollutants that pose shared risks to ecosystems and human health worldwide.

The conference concluded with a renewed call for coordinated international action, knowledge exchange, and innovation-driven solutions to confront the escalating challenge of microplastics pollution.