The Third Symposium on New Contaminant Control held in Shanghai on September 13–14 2025 highlighted how newly recognized pollutants are reshaping China's environmental agenda. These substances including persistent organic pollutants endocrine disruptors antibiotics and microplastics are often invisible yet can linger in the environment accumulate in living organisms and pose long term risks to ecosystems and human health.
Quote and key message
"New contaminants do not always make headlines but they are changing how we understand pollution and how we must respond as a society" said Xiaojie Hu of Nanjing Agricultural University who reported on the symposium. "By bringing scientists policymakers and industry leaders into the same room this meeting accelerates the transition from research results to practical actions that protect people and the environment."
Symposium highlights
Jointly organized by the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning the symposium drew researchers government officials and industry representatives from across China. The program covered eight major themes four focused on specific contaminant groups of global concern and four on crosscutting issues such as identification monitoring risk assessment and integrated control strategies.
Sessions addressed persistent organic pollutants endocrine disrupting chemicals antibiotic residues and microplastics alongside topics including screening methods hazard and risk evaluation co treatment of new and traditional pollutants and the development of regulatory and decision support platforms. Participants emphasized that understanding where these pollutants occur how they move and how they affect health is essential for effective management.
Policy context and journal launch
Since 2020 new contaminants have been designated a critical environmental priority in China and the establishment of the Committee on New Contaminant Control in 2023 has helped coordinate scientific and regulatory efforts. The symposium recognized early progress but stressed that sustained innovation is needed to meet national pollution reduction goals and advance the Beautiful China Initiative.
A key milestone at the event was the launch of the open access journal New Contaminants which provides a dedicated platform for research on emerging pollutants and their control. Organizers noted that stronger links between academic research policy design and industrial practice will be crucial to turning scientific insights into scalable technologies and risk management tools.
Looking ahead
Attendees agreed that new contaminants represent a long term challenge requiring continuous monitoring stricter management of hazardous chemicals and development of safer alternatives. The successful symposium has given new momentum to collaborative research and technology deployment aiming to better safeguard environmental quality and public health in China and beyond.
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Journal reference: Hu X. 2025. The Third Symposium on New Contaminant Control convenes in China. New Contaminants 1: e011
https://www.maxapress.com/article/doi/10.48130/newcontam-0025-0011
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About the Journal:
New Contaminants is an open-access journal focusing on research related to emerging pollutants and their remediation.
