Pacific Plastics:
Science to Solutions
Our vision is a future where the Oceans are free from plastic, and where biodiversity is effectively conserved by the people who live closest to it, supported by a global community.
We are a network of world-class scientists working together with NGOs and Governmental agencies to free the Eastern Pacific from ocean plastic
Find out more by watching our short video
Plastic was fantastic
a lightweight and durable material that revolutionised medicine and the way we all live today.
But plastic went from scientific development to environmental catastrophe in just 100 years
the convenience of plastic has led to it being used for a few hours,
minutes,
or seconds
before being thrown away…
But there is no away.
Plastic persists in the environment for hundreds of years
It’s estimated that 45% of all plastic used along the Pacific coastline of South and Central America is inadequately managed, leaking 1 million tonnes of plastic waste each year
This is predicted to double by 2025 if no action is taken
Once in the ocean,
plastic harms marine wildlife
by being mistaken for food
or entangling them…
…causing the deaths of millions of animals every year
Plastic in the ocean also breaks down into microplastics
There are up to
microplastic particles floating at the surface of our oceans
That’s 500 times the number of people who have ever lived on Earth
We have found microplastics everywhere we have looked for them.
From our deepest oceans
to our beer
This environmental catastrophe not only threatens marine life…
but also the livelihoods that depend on the health of the unique biodiversity in the Eastern Pacific