How Nuclear Technology Tackles Plastic Pollution

NUTEC Plastics combines science and technology to fight plastic waste by: 

• Monitoring and assessment – using nuclear techniques to track and study microplastics in the ocean to inform decision makers.
• Upcycling plastic waste – using radiation technology to transform plastic waste into useful, high value products. 

Microplastics are tiny particles, sometimes just one-thousandth of a millimetre. NUTEC Plastics uses nuclear imaging tools and radiotracers to detect, track, and study how these particles move through marine ecosystems — even tracing them inside seafood.

They also proved that microplastic are passing from mummy to baby sharks.

The data supports evidence-based policy making and protect marine environments and the people that rely on them. 

Using nuclear-derived imaging techniques, scientists can identify even the tiniest plastic particles in seawater, beach sand, sediment and in marine organisms. 

NUTEC Plastics equips laboratories worldwide with the technology and technical knowledge required to sample, analyse and monitor microplastic pollution in the ocean. 

As part of IAEA’s work on monitoring marine microplastic pollution, IAEA experts from the Environment Laboratories in Monaco have undertaken sampling missions to Antarctica and to Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands to gather data and build sampling capacity in the region. The answer is, yes, microplastics are already in these most remote areas of the world. 

Over 100 laboratories worldwide are now connected through NUTEC Plastics Global Marine Monitoring Network, sharing data and expertise. More than 400 scientists have been trained to monitor and analyse microplastic pollution through the IAEA technical cooperation programme. 

Through radiation-assisted technology, NUTEC Plastics helps countries facilitate the plastic sorting and upcycling. These nuclear technologies enable to transform waste into durable construction materials, industrial fuels and waxes or into stronger, more sustainable plastics. 

NUTEC Plastics facilitates public—private collaboration to ensure that solutions are not only scientifically sound but also market-oriented. This is how some countries are using the materials:   

• Argentina is making railway sleepers from recycled plastic waste.
• China is recycling polyolefin plastics, commonly found in cling film and shrink wrap, into industrial wax.
• Indonesia created weather-resistance thatch from recycled plastic and rice husk.
• Malaysia uses radiation-induced processes to turn waste PTFE (Teflon) into industrial additives and post-consumer polyethylene into fuel.
• The Philippines is producing affordable housing materials from recycled plastics.
• Tunisia is replacing part of cement with irradiated plastic waste to produce lighter, cheaper, and equally strong concrete.
• Romania and Germany are advancing sorting techniques to increase the purity of recycled polyethylene and polypropylene, enabling the creation of high-quality fabrics from plastic waste. 

NUTEC Plastics helps countries reduce dependence on fossil fuels, lower CO₂ emissions, and advance sustainable production by turning waste into valuable resources. 

Its new Circular Economy Assessment Platform further enhances the IAEA’s toolbox, complementing existing models that assess the technological maturity and economic viability of integrating electron beam (e-beam) technologies into plastic recycling. 

The IAEA’s new Transportable E-beam System will also assist Member States in research and development, training and demonstration activities on innovative radiation applications, including sorting and upcycling of plastic waste. 

The initiative is guiding 53 Member States through a structured development plan, helping them scale up from laboratory research to industrial production. The goal is to have pilot scale industrial facilities operating by 2026-2027 — paving the way for greener industries and bringing us a step closer to circular economy.