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Environment and Plastics Research Network

Running water with plastic pollution

Understanding and tackling the impacts of plastic pollution.

The environmental impact of plastics presents an urgent global challenge where science-led interventions, sustainable policies, and changes in our use of plastics are crucial.

To tackle the problem, it’s vital that we consider the whole lifecycle of plastics from manufacturing and distribution to their safe disposal. The need to understand and reduce interactions with organisms and ecosystems is urgent and we need to address impacts on human health. Changes in behaviour and the pursuit of solutions are key.

Our research network harnesses the reputation for research across the university, uniting scientific understanding of plastics from the School of Chemistry, School of Engineering, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, School of Biosciences and School of Medicine. By bringing together researchers from these disciplines, we can provide the solutions to solve this global problem.

We aim to build on the university’s track record of internationally-leading research on plastics to foster partnerships, build collaborations and deliver research with impact.

Objectives

To achieve our objectives, we are:

  • bringing together the plastic research community across the university
  • working with stakeholders, industry and policy-makers to address plastics pollution to deliver real-world change
  • prioritising our research focus to seek sustainable funding

People

Lead academics

Professor Steve Ormerod

Professor Steve Ormerod

Professor

Email
ormerod@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 5871
Professor Isabelle Durance

Professor Isabelle Durance

Professor and Director of the Water Research Institute

Email
durance@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)7800 774491 / +44 (0)29 2087 4484

Associated academic staff

Dr Ben Ward

Dr Ben Ward

Senior Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry

Email
wardbd@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 0302
Professor Wouter Poortinga

Professor Wouter Poortinga

Professor

Email
poortingaw@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 4755
Professor Devin Sapsford

Professor Devin Sapsford

Professor

Email
sapsforddj@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 5916
Dr Rhoda Ballinger

Dr Rhoda Ballinger

Reader

Email
ballingerrc@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 6671
Professor Max Munday

Professor Max Munday

Director of Welsh Economy Research Unit

Email
mundaymc@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 5089
Professor Duncan Wass

Professor Duncan Wass

Director of the Cardiff Catalysis Institute

Email
wassd@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)29 2087 0826