The Plastic Pollution Analysis & Sustainability Solutions (PPASS) network, established in May 2022 by about 40 researchers primarily from Columbia University, is dedicated to advancing science and developing innovative tools for sustainable plastic waste management. PPASS brings together experts in Environmental Health, Geoscience, Engineering, Policy, Economics, and Sustainable Development to address global plastic pollution through interdisciplinary collaboration. Given the alarming accumulation of plastic waste—710 million metric tons in ecosystems—and the growing concerns over microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in human organs, PPASS focuses on research-driven solutions for environmental and health challenges. PPASS pursues sustainability through cutting-edge waste management techniques, novel recycling approaches, and systems thinking, integrating industrial symbiosis and circular economy principles. Additionally, it serves as a hub for securing funding, engaging stakeholders, influencing policy, and enhancing the visibility of plastic pollution research. Through strategic partnerships with industry, government, and global organizations, PPASS aims to shape policies, develop new technologies, and foster education to mitigate plastic waste’s impact on climate, health, and the environment.
| Name | Title | |
| Juhl, Andrew | Lamont Research Professor | andyjuhl@ldeo.columbia.edu |
| Crowther, Andrew | Assistant Professor, Chemistry | acrowthe@barnard.edu |
| Bostick, Benjamin | Lamont Research Professor | bb2461@columbia.edu |
| Pearson, Brandon | Assistant Professor, Environmental Health Sciences | blp2125@columbia.edu |
| Meinrenken, Christoph | Professor of Practice | cjm2177@columbia.edu |
| Re, Diane | Assistant Professor, Environmental Health Sciences | dr2240@cumc.columbia.edu |
| Yin, Huiming | Associate Professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics | hy2251@columbia.edu |
| Chandran, Kartik | Professor, Earth & Environmental Engineering | kc2288@columbia.edu |
| Nguyen, Khue | Staff Associate III | nnk2114@columbia.edu |
| Silverman-Roati, Korey | Climate Law Fellow | kgs2133@columbia.edu |
| Zaima-Sheehy, Laurel | Assistant Director, K12 and Continuing Education | lnz2104@columbia.edu |
| Tedesco, Marco | Lamont Research Professor | mt3102@columbia.edu |
| Turrin, Margie | Senior Staff Associate II | mkt@ldeo.columbia.edu |
| Gerrard, Michael | Andrew Sabin Professor of Professional Practice in the Faculty of Law and Professor of Professional Practice in the Faculty of Climate; Director | mbg2@columbia.edu |
| Frearson, Nicholas | Senior Staff Associate | npf2101@columbia.edu |
| Patra, Partha | Associate Research Scientist, Earth & Environmental Engineering | pp2295@columbia.edu |
| Orton, Philip | Research Associate Professor, Stevens Institute of Technology | porton@stevens.edu |
| Stapleton, Phoebe | Assistant Professor, Rutgers University | stapleton@eohsi.rutgers.edu |
| Somasundaran, Ponisseril | LaVon Duddleson Krumb Professor of Mineral Engineering in the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering | ps24@columbia.edu |
| Leeman-Neill, Rebecca | Assistant Professor, Pathology & Cell Biology, CUMC | rjl2165@columbia.edu |
| Newton, Robert | Lecturer | bnewton@ldeo.columbia.edu |
| Chillrud, Steven | Lamont Research Professor | chilli@ldeo.columbia.edu |
| Min, Wei | Professor, Chemistry | wm2256@columbia.edu |
