Eawag - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology

Plastic has become an integral part of our everyday life. However, plastic waste, including microplastics, leads to ecological and health problems. Still little is known about the magnitude of the problem. Eawag is therefore investigating the effects of microplastics in water and bodies of water and is developing solutions to reduce microplastic contamination.

There is a lot of plastic waste in the environment and in our waters: beverage bottles, plastic bags, packaging, straws and much more. Less well visible to the naked eye, but nevertheless no less common, are what are known as microplastics. This page provides information about what exactly microplastics are and what quantities occur in Swiss waters.

The global «plastosphere» contains more than 16,000 chemicals. The new study published iprovides a comprehensive overview of all chemicals that can be present in plastics. (Image: Adobe Stock)

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025To curb global plastic pollution and to make plastics safer and more sustainable, countries are currently negotiating a global treaty. A new study with participation from Eawag and Empa published in Nature provides a comprehensive and systematic overview of all chemicals that can be present in plastics, their properties, uses, and hazards. Moreover, the study also provides a scientific approach for identifying chemicals of concern. This allows scientists and manufacturers to develop safer plastics and policy makers to promote a non-toxic circular economy.

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Dr. Ralf Kägi Tel. +41 58 765 5273 Send Mail

Dr. Adriano Joss Tel. +41 58 765 5408 Send Mail

Prof. Dr. Kristin Schirmer Group leader and deputy head of department Tel. +41 58 765 5266 Send Mail

Dr. Alexandra Kroll Tel. +41 58 765 5487 Send Mail

How microplastics get into the environment

Ecotoxicological and Humantoxicological effects of microplastics

Last Name, First Name, Telephone, Mail	Department	Location
Dr. Kägi, Ralf +41 58 765 5273, Send Mail	Process Engineering	Dübendorf
Dr. Joss, Adriano +41 58 765 5408, Send Mail	Process Engineering	Dübendorf
Dr. Kroll, Alexandra +41 58 765 5487, Send Mail	Ecotox Centre	Dübendorf
Prof. Dr. Schirmer, Kristin +41 58 765 5266, Send Mail	Environmental Toxicology	Dübendorf
Dr. Contzen, Nadja +41 58 765 6892, Send Mail	Environmental Social Sciences	Dübendorf
Prof. Dr. Hofstetter, Thomas +41 58 765 5076, Send Mail	Environmental Chemistry	Dübendorf
Prof. Dr. Hollender, Juliane +41 58 765 5493, Send Mail	Environmental Chemistry	Dübendorf
Prof. Dr. Ingold, Karin +41 58 765 5676, Send Mail	Environmental Social Sciences	Dübendorf
Vollenweider, Stefan +41 58 765 5427, Send Mail	Environmental Social Sciences	Dübendorf

Plastik zirkuliert überall, article in Wohnen Extra Dezember 2022
Plastics in the environment - Report of the Federal Council in fulfillment of three postulates (September 2022; in German and French)
Mikroplastik in der Umwelt, article in Aqua & Gas, 10-2021
Award-winning researcher is tracing microplastics in our drinking water, video with Prof. Denise Mitrano, ETH Zurich
Mikroplastik in der Umwelt, fact sheet Ecotox Centre, July 2015
Plastics, web site FOEN with numerous tips on recycling and proper disposal of plastic waste
Évaluation de la pollution par les plastiques dans les eaux de surface en Suisse, report EPFL and FOEN, 2014
Mikroplastik in Abwasser und Gewässer, report AWEL, Canton Zürich, 2019
Rapporto microplastiche, information of the Cantonal Environmental Office of Ticino
microplastics.ch – a research network, Swiss research groups working on microplastics
LIFE Blue Lakes project tackles the problem of microplastics in lakes through a set of governance, training, information and awareness actions, addressed to institutions, relevant stakeholders and citizens. It is co-financed by the European Commission through the LIFE Programme and PlasticsEurope.

Microplastics in the environment

News

Identifying chemicals of concern in plastics – and pathways towards safer polymers

Accurately tracking how plastic biodegrades

Events

Contact

Experts

Further informationen