The Science Café, organized by the Sciences-Actions association, on the theme "Plastics: progress or plague?" will take place on Thursday, October 13, 2022, at the MJC in Chambéry.
Science Cafés allow the general public to discuss a variety of topics, often related to current events, with experts, researchers, and professionals in a friendly atmosphere. They are organized by the Science-Actions association, in collaboration with the University of Savoie Mont Blanc, the city of Chambéry, the Astrée cinema, and the MJC de Chambéry.
“Plastics: progress or plague?”
A quick glance at the objects around us is enough to prove it: plastic is everywhere in our daily lives! Lightweight, versatile, inexpensive, adaptable, etc., plastics are used in almost every sector of activity. They really took off at the end of the19thcentury with the development of synthetic plastics. Since then, this development has only grown with research, new processes, and the combination of properties that give them their unique characteristics.
The pace is exponential. Currently, more than 400 million tons of plastic are produced each year worldwide, compared to 2.3 million in 1950. According to an OECD report, at the current rate, the amount of plastic waste produced could triple by 2060. However, much of this waste ends up in the natural environment, invading all ecosystems. In this context, plastics are raising growing concerns about their impact on the environment, biodiversity, and our health. Reflecting this global awareness, in March 2022 the UN Environment Assembly launched negotiations aimed at a global treaty to combat plastic pollution.
Are plastics a step forward or a curse? Are all types of plastics the same? What alternatives are there? How can we combat plastic pollution?
Come and ask all your questions and discuss this topic with several speakers who are specialists in this field.
THE SPEAKERS
- Bruno Andrioletti: Professor at Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, Director of the Faculty of Science, and Director ofthe Lyon Institute of Chemistry, expert in sustainable chemistry/catalysis, and development of innovative solutions in sustainable chemistry, particularly for the synthesis of bio-based polymers.
- Corinne Bas: lecturer and researcher at USMB in the Electrochemistry and Physical Chemistry of Materials and Interfaces Laboratory (LEPMI), and head of the professional bachelor's degree program in Polymer Engineering atthe IUT in Chambéry.
- David Gateuille: professor and researcher at the University of Bavaria in the Environments, Dynamics, and Mountain Territories Laboratory (EDYTEM), whose research focuses on microplastics
- Robert Mondot: President of the consumer association UFC-Que Choisir in Chambéry