The INSPIRE project was represented by the University of Maribor at the European Conference on Marine Natural Products (ECMNP25), held in Piran, Slovenia, from 29 September to 3 October 2025. The conference brought together researchers exploring the intersection of marine biotechnology and horizontal sciences such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), emphasizing sustainability in product development.
INSPIRE’s contribution, prepared in collaboration with University of Maribor and 123zero, was titled: Comparative Environmental Assessment of Water-Free Powder Shampoo as a Litter Prevention Solution, authored by Jan Puhar, Martin Leban, Anja Pajntar, and Annamaria Vujanović.
Plastic packaging from personal care products contributes significantly to post-consumer litter, particularly in high-density public events where waste management systems are often overwhelmed. As single-use plastics persist in the environment and degrade into microplastics, reducing plastic at the source is a key preventive strategy. By redesigning both shampoo formulation and packaging, the study demonstrates how product innovation can substantially reduce environmental impacts and prevent plastic litter, especially in contexts such as large public events. This contribution underscores the importance of upstream innovation and life cycle thinking in tackling plastic pollution and promoting sustainable consumer product design.
