On February 20, 2025, the ASEZ Zero Plastic 2040 Forum was held at the Technical University of Munich, one of Europe’s leading universities. The forum brought together approximately 300 university students from nine countries—including Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, the UK, France, Spain, Portugal, and the United States—who participated online.
The event began with expert lectures addressing one of today’s most pressing global issues: plastic waste, particularly microplastics. Jean-Mathieu Teissie, Head of the Technical University of Berlin, highlighted that more than 450 million metric tons of plastic are produced annually worldwide, ultimately impacting human health.
He warned that microplastics accumulate in the human body through air, rain, and soil, infiltrating our systems much like bacteria or viruses, posing serious health risks. He emphasized that recognizing the severity of the issue is the first step toward solving it and praised ASEZ students for taking initiative in tackling this global problem.
The lecture gave participants a renewed awareness of how indiscriminate plastic use affects our daily lives and its seriousness.
Following the presentations, a panel discussion took place, featuring university representatives from the U.S. (MIT and Harvard), Austria (University of Vienna), the Netherlands (University of Amsterdam), and Germany (Technical University of Munich and Free University of Berlin). The panel explored each country’s policies and student roles in addressing plastic pollution with students as the panelists.
Key points from the discussion included the importance of fostering a culture that reduces plastic consumption in everyday life and expanding that culture over time. Panelists also emphasized the need to encourage companies to shift toward eco-friendly production by choosing reusable and microplastic-free products. Beyond individual efforts, participants suggested the necessity of systemic approaches to reduce plastic usage across society.
One of the most repeated sentiments was the importance of ensuring that this forum not be a one-time conversation. Students proposed building an inter-university network and running continuous awareness campaigns to create lasting impact.
Bernardo Miller, an ASEZ member from the Technical University of Munich, shared his reflection: “This forum reaffirmed that solving environmental problems requires leadership not only from governments and corporations but from our generation, which will shape the future. It was meaningful to realize that university students can drive sustainable change when they act with awareness and determination,” expressing his determination in participating in the future environmental protection movement.
ASEZ students plan to continue practical efforts to combat environmental issues. Their continued commitment to achieving the Zero Plastic 2040 goal is attracting growing global attention.
