Search
Members Area
06 Nov 2025 - 06 Nov 2025
9:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Tulln, Austria
NETmicroplastic Conference Meeting and Mini-Fair
NETmicroplastic’s mission is to improve our understanding of microplastics in soil and to promote science-based, multi-faceted assessments of the prevalence and fate of plastics in agricultural and viticultural environments. The knowledge and evidence generated by the network will serve as a basis for policy recommendations. We aim to promote and support innovative management practices, particularly in viticulture, which will protect and improve soil health and benefit the environment and people.
Hosted by the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, this conference brings together a wide audience from various sectors including agriculture and viticulture, policy, industry and academia. The full-day conference programme will first present the state of research on microplastics in soils and examine the role of fertilisers as a source of plastic contamination. It will then explore whether and how new developments in biodegradable polymer materials may offer a solution to microplastic pollution of soils.
Join us for this exciting event, meet NETmicroplastic partners and associate members, and take part in meaningful and engaging discussions with our stakeholders and experts!
Tentative conference programme:
- 9:00
Arrival & coffee - 9:30-10:00
Microplastics in agricultural soil – sources, regulations, potential solutions - 10:00 – 11:00
Impact of the use of plastics on agricultural soil in Europe – results from field studies- Results from farmer surveys and soil samples in 10 European countries and overall sustainability impacts of agriplastics, Ildiko Heim (Fibl Austria)
- A Multi-Criteria Farm-Level Decision Support Tool for the Sustainability Assessment of Agro-Plastic Practices, Amila Abeynayaka (Technical University of Denmark)
- 11:00-11:30
Coffee break - 11:30-12:30
Fertilizers as a source of microplastics in soil- Microplastics in organic waste management, Melanie Brait & Florian Brunner (Austrian Compost & Biogas Association)
- Composting compostable plastics – an investigation of microplastics and environmental impact, Julia Möller (Wageningen University & Research)
- 12:30-13:30
Lunch - 13:30-14:30
Tour of the stakeholder exhibition - 14:30-15:30
Panel discussion: Sharing ideas and best practice in the field and vineyard
Moderation: Daniel Steinitz (Bündnis Mikroplastikfrei) - 15:30 – 16:30
Networking with local wine & snacks
Event venue:
University and Research Center Tulln
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
Center for Health and Bioresources
Competence Unit Bioresources
Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24 | 3430 Tulln | Austria