Global Forum Showcases Nuclear Solutions to Combat Rising Plastic Pollution

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. praised the programme’s role in driving scientific innovation.

 

A major international gathering in Manila has placed the spotlight on how nuclear science and technology can help countries fight the worsening global plastic pollution crisis. The International High-Level Forum on NUTEC Plastics, hosted by the Government of the Philippines from 25 to 26 November, brings together world leaders, scientists, policymakers and private-sector experts to assess progress and chart the future of this flagship initiative launched by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2020.

The forum opened with high-level attendance, including the President of the Philippines, the President of the Asian Development Bank, and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, underscoring the urgency of addressing plastic pollution and the importance of innovation in this global challenge.

A Global Call for Innovation and Cooperation

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. praised the programme’s role in driving scientific innovation.

“NUTEC Plastics embodies the kind of innovation we need,” he said. “It merges advanced nuclear applications with environmental protection and turns scientific progress into tangible benefits.”

He noted that the Philippines’ scientific community has embraced this partnership, leveraging international cooperation to advance research and develop solutions tailored to the region’s needs.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi emphasised the dual focus of the initiative: monitoring microplastics in oceans and turning plastic waste into new, usable products.

“Looking at plastic pollution from the atomic level allows us to understand microplastic pollution and its movement through marine ecosystems,” he said. “By using irradiation, we can reduce plastic waste by transforming it into valuable materials such as building products.”

Plastic Pollution: An Escalating Global Threat

The session highlighted the scale of the crisis:

• The equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks filled with plastic enters water bodies every day.

• Each year, 19–23 million tonnes of plastic leak into rivers, lakes, and oceans.

• Less than 10 percent of the world’s 7 billion tonnes of plastic waste has been recycled.

• By 2050, global plastic production is expected to nearly triple to 1.1 billion tonnes.

As plastic breaks down, it forms microplastics—tiny fragments that infiltrate ecosystems, contaminate the food chain and pose long-term risks to human and environmental health.

NUTEC Plastics: Nuclear Technology for Upcycling and Monitoring

The IAEA’s NUTEC Plastics initiative works with countries around the world to tackle plastic pollution through two main pillars:

1. Plastic Upcycling Through Nuclear Science

Radiation technologies can help:

• Break down plastic waste

• Transform it into high-value materials

• Create bio-based, biodegradable plastics

Eight countries — including Argentina, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines — are already piloting radiation-based recycling in collaboration with commercial partners. These projects have shown promising results in producing:

• Durable construction materials

• Industrial additives

• Railway ties

• Other long-lasting products

To support these efforts, the IAEA has released several tools to help countries:

• Measure plastic circularity

• Assess technological readiness

• Calculate economic feasibility

• Deploy mobile electron beam systems for training and R&D

These tools lay the groundwork for scaling the technology from laboratory tests to full industrial production.

2. Monitoring Marine Microplastics

Nuclear and related techniques allow researchers to:

• Track microplastic movement and behaviour

• Identify pollution sources

• Study degradation patterns

• Support evidence-based policymaking

NUTEC Plastics is currently working with:

• 53 countries on improving recycling and developing bio-based plastics

• 102 countries on monitoring microplastics

The initiative has trained over 400 scientists worldwide and created a Global Marine Monitoring Network linking more than 100 laboratories, helping standardise global monitoring protocols.

Financing and Partnerships: A Cross-Sector Challenge

Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda stressed the need for coordinated action that combines science, policy, and investment.

“To solve a problem of this scale, science must be paired with financing and policy,” he said.

The ADB is preparing a US$1 billion programme to support a sustainable blue economy in the Philippines, including digital tools to model plastic pollution in the Pasig River and guide cleanup strategies.

Kanda also highlighted broadening cooperation with the IAEA in areas such as:

• Food security

• Environmental protection

• Energy transition

A Collaborative Regional and Global Effort

The forum brings together:

• Government ministers

• Scientists and technical experts

• Private sector leaders

• Multilateral organisations (UNEP, UNIDO, ADB)

• Youth representatives and early-career researchers

A dedicated ministerial segment will highlight national approaches to tackling the plastic crisis, with an emphasis on scalable, science-driven solutions.

The inclusion of young experts demonstrates the IAEA’s commitment to fostering the next generation of scientists who will carry this work forward.

The Road Ahead: Scaling Up Global Innovation

Director General Grossi closed the opening session with a call to action:

“We’ve come a long way, but there’s still a lot to do. The IAEA cannot do this alone. I invite governments, international organizations, research institutes, private enterprises and donors to join us in the next phase of the fight against plastic waste.”

With plastic pollution accelerating faster than global recycling infrastructure can manage, NUTEC Plastics offers a science-based, innovative approach to one of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges — and the Manila forum marks a key milestone in building the partnerships needed to scale solutions worldwide.