Plastic keeps washing up on the most remote and uninhabited beaches on earth, carried there by ocean currents from thousands of kilometres away. The documentary Pacific Mission follows an impossible expedition to clean up an island where nobody lives, yet where tonnes of our waste arrive. A faraway problem that we contribute to: our packaging, our fishing gear and our waste exports travel the same currents. After the screening, Dutch organisations working on plastic solutions join the conversation: The Great Bubble Barrier, Wad Gaat Om and more. Together we ask, what can we do at home to prevent waste from ending up out there?
About Plastic Odyssey
Plastic Odyssey has set out to help solve – and raise global awareness around – the devastating human and environmental impacts of plastic pollution. Through a unique and multifaceted approach, we are: (1) Advancing innovative, affordable solutions to recycle and transform plastic waste into valuable materials; (2) Supporting local communities, economies and entrepreneurs worldwide where resource recovery is in high demand; and (3) Working to restore biodiverse ecosystems. Our goal is to create a global network of recycling initiatives that help support local economies and lead to lasting change.
Plastic Odyssey has set out to help solve – and raise global awareness around – the devastating human and environmental impacts of plastic pollution. Through a unique and multifaceted approach, we are: (1) Advancing innovative, affordable solutions to recycle and transform plastic waste into valuable materials; (2) Supporting local communities, economies and entrepreneurs worldwide where resource recovery is in high demand; and (3) Working to restore biodiverse ecosystems. Our goal is to create a global network of recycling initiatives that help support local economies and lead to lasting change.
About Wad Gaat Om
Wad Gaat Om is a four-year programme tackling plastic and microplastic pollution in the UNESCO Wadden Sea region. Rather than focusing only on clean-ups, we work at the source: preventing single plastic use, developing bio-based alternatives as a Wadden Standard, changing behaviour and procurement, and connecting businesses, governments, education and designers. The Wadden region acts as a living lab where nature, tourism and economy meet. Through this integrated systems approach, we develop practical solutions and tools that can also be applied in other regions facing similar challenges.
About The Great Bubble Barrier
The Great Bubble Barrier is a Dutch social enterprise committed to tackling plastic pollution in rivers before it reaches the ocean. Founded in 2017, we developed an innovative technology that removes plastic from waterways without disrupting ship traffic or aquatic life. Each year, millions of tonnes of plastic enter the ocean via rivers, where cleanup becomes nearly impossible. Our Bubble Barrier intercepts plastic waste close to the source, covering the full width and depth of a river, without obstructing the passage of boats or fish. The first long-term Bubble Barrier was installed in Amsterdam in 2019 and has since captured over 1.000.000 pieces of plastic. To date, we have implemented four long-term systems: three in the Netherlands – in Amsterdam, Katwijk, and Harlingen – and one in Vila do Conde, Portugal. With growing interest from cities around the world, we are working to scale this solution globally and help keep rivers clean through sustainable, scalable, and non-invasive technology.
The Great Bubble Barrier is a Dutch social enterprise committed to tackling plastic pollution in rivers before it reaches the ocean. Founded in 2017, we developed an innovative technology that removes plastic from waterways without disrupting ship traffic or aquatic life. Each year, millions of tonnes of plastic enter the ocean via rivers, where cleanup becomes nearly impossible. Our Bubble Barrier intercepts plastic waste close to the source, covering the full width and depth of a river, without obstructing the passage of boats or fish. The first long-term Bubble Barrier was installed in Amsterdam in 2019 and has since captured over 1.000.000 pieces of plastic. To date, we have implemented four long-term systems: three in the Netherlands – in Amsterdam, Katwijk, and Harlingen – and one in Vila do Conde, Portugal. With growing interest from cities around the world, we are working to scale this solution globally and help keep rivers clean through sustainable, scalable, and non-invasive technology.
