The recent REMEDIES Policy Workshop, held online on January 22, 2025, brought together 76 participants, marking a significant milestone in advancing discussions on addressing marine pollution. Organized by the Sanitary Engineering Laboratory, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), the event focused on innovative solutions to tackle microplastics and chemical pollution in urban wastewater and the implications of the new European Directive (EU) 2024/3019 for Greece.
The workshop featured a comprehensive agenda, highlighting cutting-edge research and practical solutions. Participants represented a wide range of sectors, including academia, research institutes, water utilities, municipalities, SMEs, and the Ministry of Environment. Key presentations included:
- “REMEDIES: Innovative solutions for microplastic reduction in urban wastewater” by Dr. A. Galani, Postdoctoral Researcher, NTUA.
- “RHE-MEDiation: A governance hub for reducing Mediterranean chemical pollution” by Dr. K. Parinos, Senior Researcher, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR).
- “Directive 2024/3019/EU: Economic aspects and implementation challenges” by Dr. E. Gavalaki, Civil Engineer, NTUA, European Investment Bank.
- “Organic micropollutants in aquatic environments” by Professor N. Thomaidis, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, University of Athens.
- “Microplastics in our seas: The known but unknown pollutant” by Dr. C. Zeri, Research Director, Institute of Oceanography, HCMR.
The event concluded with an engaging open discussion, where participants exchanged insights on the challenges posed by the new EU directive and the steps required to mitigate the impact of microplastics and chemical pollutants in wastewater treatment processes.
For those interested in exploring the full agenda of the workshop (in Greek), you can access it here.
The successful turnout and the high level of engagement demonstrated the growing concern and collective effort towards a sustainable and cleaner marine environment.
