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International High Level Forum on NUTEC Plastics
25–26 November 2025, Manila, Philippines
NUTEC Plastics in 1 Minute
Plastic is a fact of modern life, but while plastic waste is causing huge damage to our environment, it can also be a valuable resource. Radiation technology is able to streamline plastic recycling. It can improve plastic sorting techniques and allow waste to be upcycled into valuable and marketable products, thus providing economic incentives to encourage more plastic recycling, helping to keep used plastic out of the world’s soils and seas.
Globally, more than 400 million tonnes of new plastic are produced every year. If business continues as usual, global production of primary plastic is forecast to almost triple, reaching 1100 million tonnes by 2050. The situation is dire: To date, less than 10 per cent of the world’s 7 billion tonnes of plastic waste generated globally has been recycled. Since plastic is not biodegradable, instead of decomposing, it fragments into smaller pieces resulting in microplastics. They are now found from the air we breathe to the ocean in Antarctica.
The IAEA’s NUclear TEChnology for Controlling Plastic Pollution (NUTEC Plastics) initiative, launched in 2020, brings together countries and partners from around the world to fight plastic pollution with nuclear science on two fronts: at point of source, by improving plastic recycling and developing new bio-based plastics; and in the ocean, where the bulk of plastic waste ends up.
The International High Level Forum on NUTEC Plastics will highlight the progress achieved to date, address current challenges, and chart course to strengthen regional and international cooperation in the sustainable management of plastic waste through innovative nuclear technologies. Read the Announcement for details, join us via Live Video Stream and be part of the conversation using #NUTECplastics on social media!