Plastics & Chemical Safety: PFAS and Beyond
This track highlights the plastics industry’s leadership in advancing chemical safety, innovation, and high‑performance material solutions in an evolving regulatory environment. As expectations around chemical use continue to develop globally, PFAS and other chemicals of concern used in plastics are increasingly driving innovation in material selection, product design, and substitution technologies.
A central focus of this track is the development, qualification, and deployment of substitution technologies that enable companies to meet regulatory requirements while maintaining performance, reliability, and competitiveness. Sessions will showcase how the industry is actively advancing alternatives, redesigning systems, and integrating safer‑by‑design approaches across diverse applications.
Building on the success of previous PFAS‑focused editions, this expanded track reflects the broader chemical‑safety landscape shaping the plastics value chain, while maintaining a strong focus on practical pathways for transition and innovation, with PFAS remaining a key regulatory and business consideration.
Topics may include:
- Substitution technologies and alternative material solutions for PFAS and other chemicals of concern in applications such as flame retardants, textiles, packaging, and durable plastic products
- Regulatory and policy developments influencing material selection, innovation priorities, and substitution strategies in plastics
- Legal, liability, and compliance considerations linked to chemical use and material transitions
- Testing, detection, traceability, and supply‑chain transparency approaches that support informed substitution and risk‑management decisions
- Transition planning, systems redesign, and performance validation in regulated or high‑visibility applications
Designed for professionals in regulatory affairs, R&D, sustainability, legal, and business development, this track provides practical insights, technical depth, and strategic guidance to support successful substitution, informed decision‑making, and long‑term value creation in the plastics industry.
Solutions for the Microplastic Challenge
This track highlights the plastics industry’s proactive role in advancing responsible design, material innovation, and system‑level solutions to address microplastics across the value chain. Bringing together leaders from industry, academia, technology providers, and policy, the track focuses on practical, scalable approaches that support innovation, regulatory alignment, and continuous improvement in environmental performance.
As regulatory frameworks evolve and scientific knowledge continues to deepen, this track explores the full scope of the microplastics challenge, including both unintentional microplastic generation and intentionally added synthetic polymer microplastics. Sessions emphasize actionable strategies that enable companies to strengthen product design, manufacturing practices, and lifecycle management.
Sessions may cover:
- Microplastics as a global scientific and regulatory topic: current understanding, evidence base, and key considerations
- Detection, sampling, quantification, and characterization of microplastics across environmental and industrial contexts
- Strategies and solutions to manage and prevent microplastic release during production, use, and end‑of‑life
- Technologies and system‑level approaches for capture, filtration, and material recovery
- Design, material, and process innovations that reduce microplastic generation while maintaining performance and functionality
Designed for professionals in sustainability, compliance, R&D, engineering, and manufacturing, this track provides actionable insights, technical depth, and collaborative perspectives to help organizations advance responsible plastics solutions with confidence and clarity.
