SETAC brings together more than 16,000 individuals and 85 partner organizations from over 90 countries. Its mission is to support scientific progress in the field of environmental toxicology and chemistry and to support scientifically informed decision-making. SETAC meetings differ from other scientific conferences primarily in that they provide a forum for tripartite discussions of scientists, regulators (e.g., the European Chemicals Agency, the Environmental Agency or government and other institutions…) and business. SETAC creates this communication platform with the aim of promoting the transfer of scientific innovations into the environment of legal standards and regulations, as well as into the business sphere.
This year’s meeting was themed “Scientifically Based Solutions in Times of Crisis: Integrating Science and Policy for Environmental Challenges.” Participants focused on current environmental problems and sought solutions that are based on scientific knowledge and can be implemented by policies. More than 3,000 people attended the congress and compared to previous years, the topic of water resonated greatly, especially ensuring its quality in urban environments, including the possibility of cleaning and recycling. A new topic that was generously allocated space at the conference was, for example, the issue of pollution by microplastic particles from tires, which is gradually increasing in urban environments along with the number of electric cars.
During the conference, about 600,000 posters can be seen every day, and in addition to scientific presentations, plenary lectures, courses, seminars, and networking events are also part of it.
