MAGNO Workshop at INSTM: Assessing the Ecosystem and Health Impacts of Plastic Packaging Waste

MAGNO Workshop at INSTM: Assessing the Ecosystem and Health Impacts of Plastic Packaging Waste

On 22 January 2026, within MAGNO’s Work Package 4 (Task 4.2), a participatory workshop on “Assessing the Impacts of Plastic Packaging Waste on Ecosystems and Health” was held at the Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (INSTM) in Salammbô.

Organised by INSTM and the University of Sousse, the event brought together researchers, policy experts and practitioners to examine the environmental and human health impacts of plastic food packaging across its value chain — from design and production to use and end-of-life — in line with the European Green Deal objectives.

Connecting Science, Health and Policy

Throughout the morning session, experts addressed:

• Plastic pollution in the Mediterranean context

• Health impacts of plastic food-contact materials

• Marine ecosystem impacts

• National and international legislation for reducing plastic pollution

In the afternoon, participants worked in two moderated discussion groups focused on human health and marine environments, before sharing conclusions and recommendations in plenary.

Key Discussion Points

An Integrated “One Health” Approach

Participants agreed that plastic pollution must be addressed through an integrated framework aligned with the One Health concept, recognising the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health.

End-of-Life as a Critical Phase

There was strong consensus that the end-of-life stage of plastic packaging is the most critical phase, as it is where microplastic release and environmental contamination primarily originate. Mismanaged waste streams were identified as a key driver of impact, highlighting the importance of improved waste management systems, policy implementation and household-level awareness.

The Need for Harmonised Indicators

A central challenge discussed was the lack of standardised and comparable indicators to measure plastic packaging impacts. Participants stressed the importance of defining clear Key Indicators aligned with the One Health framework and structuring assessments around functional units to improve comparability.

Potential indicators included:

• Microplastic concentrations in agricultural soils

• Biodiversity regression and species loss

• Ecosystem productivity impacts

Data Gaps and Modelling Opportunities

Significant data gaps remain in linking plastic waste generation to microplastic release and subsequent environmental and health impacts. The workshop explored the potential of digital twin approaches to model microplastic release and strengthen evidence-based policymaking.

Conclusions and Next Steps

The workshop concluded with shared priorities:

• Focusing on end-of-life management of plastic packaging

• Harmonising sampling and measurement methodologies

• Strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration

• Improving data sharing and validation

The insights generated during the workshop will contribute to MAGNO’s ongoing work and reinforce collaboration across Mediterranean initiatives addressing plastic pollution and sustainable packaging systems.