The Race for Water Foundation
Innovative solutions against plastic pollution
From the information gleaned during the 2015 odyssey, it is a statement of fact to say that “plastic islands” do not exist, so heading out to collect plastic waste at sea proves to be but a pipedream. Indeed, at the heart of the oceans languishes a soup of microplastics, which drifts about at the mercy of the oceanic gyres. What there is on the surface represents less than 1% of the plastics in the ocean. “We very quickly became aware that the solution was on land. Combined action is essential in preventing plastic waste from reaching the waterways and the oceans through the development of sustainable social and economic models that inspire its reduction, its collection, and its valorization. It is vital that we take action!” explains Marco Simeoni, President of the Race for Water Foundation.
FOUR STRATEGIC GOALS
REGULATE
For a legally binding international treaty against plastic pollution.
REDUCE
For a limited production and a sensible consumption of plastic
RETHINK
For a material that is healthy, reusable and easy to integrate in a true circular economy
RECOVER TO REPURPOSE
For incentivized collecting systems, local and safe plastic waste management and repurposing infrastructures, funded by the entire plastic industry
To be on the ground, to understand and to find appropriate solutions!
A global situational analysis of the ocean plastic pollution
The objective of this expedition was to analyze the beaches of the islands located in the perimeter of the 5 oceanic gyres and beyond in order to make the first global assessment of the pollution of the oceans via plastics and to highlight the consequences on the populations. In a record time of less than 300 days thanks to a racing trimaran, the MOD70 Race for Water.
The findings are dramatic: plastic pollution is omnipresent, in frightening proportions and mainly in the form of micro or even nanoparticles reducing the chances of being able to clean the oceans one day. It is necessary to stop the hemorrhage and to attack the problem at the source, on land, by preventing the waste from reaching the oceans.
- 3 scientific publications
- 17 stopovers
- 32 000 miles covered across 5 oceans
- 30 sampled beaches
- 15 420 macro-waste collected
- 192 250 microparticules collected
The odyssey of hope
This expedition was held aboard a revolutionary ship, a true demonstrator for the energy transition. Thanks to its mixed solar-hydrogen-kite propulsion system, we have travelled the world's oceans in energy autonomy and with zero emission for more than 3 years. This iconic ambassador ship has allowed us to host scientific missions, to denounce the scale of the plastic pollution disaster on ecosystems, while promoting pragmatic and relevant solutions to prevent plastic waste from reaching waterways. Each stopover was also an opportunity to investigate the local situation and meet key players in the fight against plastic pollution.
- 4 years
- 30 stopovers
- 6 scientific programmes
- 16200 people reached (schools, businesses, governments, NGOs, journalists and the general public)
