SPE Microplastics Forum Will Bring Plastics Experts to Baltimore

The SPE Microplastics Forum takes place in Baltimore, Maryland, on Oct. 20–21, 2026, covering detection, regulation, and solutions.

Industry Insights Across the Product Lifecycle

Microplastics have become a growing focus of research, regulation, and public concern because they persist in the environment. As a result, plastics professionals need reliable technical information to understand risks, requirements, and possible solutions.

The SPE Microplastics Forum gives attendees a focused space to explore these issues with experts from industry and academia. The two-day, solution-oriented forum will help professionals gain clarity on microplastics management, prevention, detection, and recovery.

You can also read: Microplastics and Nanoplastics: Hard to See, Harder to Stop

The program will also connect scientific research with practical industry needs. This matters because companies increasingly need to evaluate microplastics across design, production, use, and end-of-life stages.

For professionals working in sustainability, compliance, R&D, engineering, manufacturing, or materials, the forum offers a practical way to stay informed. It also supports better decision-making as regulatory expectations and technical capabilities continue to evolve.

Key Forum Topics

The Microplastics Forum will feature talks from subject matter experts, industry leaders, and technology providers. Together, these sessions will address the scientific, regulatory, and technical dimensions of microplastics.

Key topics include:

• Microplastics as a scientific and regulatory topic: Attendees will explore new insights and technologies that can help organizations adapt to a rapidly changing regulatory environment.
• Detection, quantification, and characterization methods: Speakers will examine how new analytical methods are advancing microplastics research and influencing regulation.
• Strategies to manage and prevent microplastic release: Sessions will address how waste management, recycling, and material innovation can support prevention and end-of-life management.

Technologies for Capture, Recovery, and Prevention

The forum will also highlight technologies that help industry address microplastics before and after release.

• Capture, filtration, and material recovery technologies: Attendees will learn how technology providers approach environmental remediation, wastewater treatment, filtration, and recovery.
• Design, material, and process innovations: Speakers will discuss how durable materials and sustainable manufacturing processes can reduce microplastic release while supporting product performance.

These topics reflect the broad role plastics professionals play in microplastics management. From material design to product end-of-life, industry decisions can influence how particles form, move, and persist.

From material design to product end-of-life, microplastics remain an increasingly important topic for the plastics industry. Photo from Adobe Stock.

Who Should Attend

SPE encourages professionals in sustainability, compliance, R&D, engineering, manufacturing, and academia to attend the Microplastics Forum.

The event is relevant for manufacturers, material scientists, environmental professionals, compliance specialists, technology providers, and students. Although these groups approach microplastics from different perspectives, they all need credible information and practical strategies.

The forum will also provide networking opportunities across the plastics value chain. Attendees can meet experts, exchange technical insights, and identify potential collaborators for research, compliance, or technology development.

You can also read: EU Launches First Certified Reference Material for Microplastic Analysis

This cross-functional format matters because microplastics challenges rarely belong to one department. Instead, they often require coordination among design teams, material suppliers, processors, recyclers, testing laboratories, and regulatory specialists.

By bringing these groups together, the forum can help professionals move from isolated discussions toward more coordinated action.

Actionable Strategies and Technical Solutions

The plastics industry has a proactive role in advancing microplastics research, prevention, and technology development. SPE created the Microplastics Forum to support communication across the plastics value chain. The event will elevate technical perspectives while helping attendees understand how research can inform practical decision-making. The forum will also include demonstrations from technology providers. These demonstrations will show real-world approaches related to microplastics detection, capture, prevention, and management.

You can also read: Chitin and Cellulose: Building Blocks for Microplastic Capture

For companies, this practical focus can support compliance planning and sustainability strategies. It can also help technical teams evaluate solutions before regulatory or customer pressure increases. The event will take place alongside SPE Chemical Safety in Plastics: PFAS & Beyond. Registration grants access to both events, giving attendees broader insight into chemical safety, microplastics, and responsible plastics management. Register Now