World Earth Day – a talk on the issue of plastic waste and microplastics in the environment
On Friday, 22 April 2022, to mark World Earth Day, we highlighted the issue of plastic waste and microplastics in the environment. The presentation took place at the Postojna School Centre, and the talk was attended by around 60 participants. The event was organised by the Postojna–Cerknica Rotary Club.
Conclusion of the ‘Plastic Pirates – Let’s Go Europe’ project
On 8 December, as part of Science Month, the closing event for the ‘Plastic Pirates’ project took place – Let’s Go Europe – which, over the course of a year, introduced more than 1,400 pupils and students from 100 Slovenian schools to citizen science and the issue of plastic pollution. The young people assisted scientists in their pioneering work – the large-scale sampling of microplastics in Slovenian rivers, which, according to current results, has revealed that more than three-quarters of the rivers analysed are contaminated.
The Slovenian Water Institute highlighted the issue of microplastics on the educational programme ‘Let’s Bite into Science’
The Slovenian Water Institute presented its microplastic sampling in rivers on the programme *Ugriznimo znanost*. Dr Manca Kovač Viršek appeared on the programme to discuss the issue of microplastics and a new method for sampling microplastics in rivers, which was developed at the Slovenian Water Institute.
2nd National Workshop on ‘Sediment Management’
On Wednesday 23 October 2019, the 2nd national workshop on ‘Sediment Management’ will take place as part of the DanubeSediment project (Sediment Management in the Danube River Basin, INTERREG Programme – Danube Region).
The aim of the workshop is to present the results of the DanubeSediment project, which is due to conclude at the end of November this year, and to outline the challenges we face in sediment management in the future.
The workshop will take place at the House of the European Union, Dunajska cesta 20, Ljubljana.
Please register for the workshop by contacting Mr Peter Suhadolnik by email at peter.suhadolnik@izvrs.si or by telephone on 01 477 53 31.
The Slovenian Water Institute notes that there are still many unknowns regarding microplastics
Microplastics also enter the body via drinking water, but the effects of this have not been thoroughly researched.
Are microplastics in drinking water (harmless) to health?
At the Slovenian Water Institute, we issued a statement on the harmful effects of microplastics on human health. The report was broadcast on the Dnevnik programme on 22 August 2019.
Collaboration between IzVRS and the Jožef Stefan Institute, the Faculty of Biotechnology and Gorenje
The Slovenian Water Institute, in collaboration with the Jožef Stefan Institute, the Faculty of Biotechnology, Department of Biology, and Gorenje, as a co-funding partner, has successfully submitted a research project to the ARRS entitled ‘Degradation of textile microplastics from domestic wastewater’.
Microplastics in our waters – a news report drawing on the expertise of the Slovenian Water Institute
On Monday, 1 July 2019, an article on the quantities of plastic in Slovenian waters was published in the *Dnevnik* newspaper in the Environment / Waste section.