Plastics, derived from fossil fuels, generate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at all stages of their life cycle: from raw material extraction and production to their use and final disposal. This continuous process of emissions makes plastic a major contributor to climate change. It is estimated that, by 2050, plastic production could account for up to 13% of the global carbon budget (Hamilton & Feit 2019). To date, more than 400 million tonnes of plastic waste have been generated, and this figure is projected to double by 2040 (Pathak, Sharma & Ramakrishna 2023).

A considerable part of this waste ends up on the seabed, where it accumulates in much higher concentrations than in the water column (Sanz-Lázaro, Casado-Coy & Beltrán-Sanahuja 2021). It is currently estimated that there are more than 5 trillion pieces of plastic floating in the oceans. Global production continues to grow exponentially, while a large proportion of the waste generated is not properly managed (Aminur Rahman, Mojumdar, Asif Rahman et al. 2023).

From large fragments of plastic to nanoplastics, these polymers constitute a growing environmental threat to human safety and nature. The problem can be measured with scientific data, as we have just done, but also from the human point of view, as is the case of some young French people who defied countless obstacles to show the seriousness of the problem, while offering a path to possible solutions.

GHG emissions are closely linked to each phase of the plastic cycle – production, transport and disposal – reinforcing its role as a key driver of global warming. In addition, plastic pollution and climate change are interrelated: poor waste management and the accumulation of microplastics compromise the oceans’ ability to absorb carbon, generating a worrying feedback loop (Sharma, Sharma & Chatterjee 2023). These same authors point out that microplastics have been widely dispersed in terrestrial and marine environments, threatening biodiversity. Upon entering the food chain, they also represent a growing risk to human health, and can act as vectors for other pollutants (Bonelli & Morales Yokobori 2022).

The sources of marine plastic include both land-based activities—such as river discharges, wastewater, and urban waste—and marine activities, from fishing, navigation, and aquaculture (Azevedo-Santos, Brito, Manoel et al. 2021). Consequently, most of these plastics have a coastal or continental anthropic origin. Plastics contain more than 16,000 chemicals, many of them hazardous to health and the environment. Its effects include hormonal disorders, respiratory diseases, and even cancer. These impacts do not affect all populations equally: there are marked differences according to social class, gender, and geographic region (Aminur Rahman, Mojumdar, Asif Rahman et al. 2023).

In order to raise awareness not only about the problem, but also about possible solutions, a group of young French people undertook what seemed like an impossible mission: an adventure very different from those that cinema usually shows. They set out to clean up a remote and uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean, where, for various reasons, a large amount of plastics have accumulated from multiple places around the world.

This whole process was documented in the film “Plastic Odyssey: Mission Pacifique”, directed by Pierre De Parscau. It tells the story of the journey of the Plastic Odyssey, a 40-meter laboratory ship, to the remote Henderson Atoll, in the heart of the Pacific, considered one of the places with the highest density of plastic waste on the planet.

The team takes on the challenge of collecting and recycling more than 10 tons of plastic waste in just a few days, facing extreme conditions in a very fragile natural environment. To do this, they use ingenious low-tech solutions: extruders, presses and centrifuges installed directly on board that transform waste into useful objects – such as furniture or building materials – for the Pitcairn Islands community.

The expedition thus articulates three key dimensions: the massive clean-up of the atoll, the sustainable transformation of waste and the awareness and empowerment of local communities, promoting a global network of community recycling.

In other words, the objective of this project, one of whose chapters have been these islands, is not limited to cleaning. The initiative goes further by integrating the principles of a blue circular economy: on board the ship, a mobile factory allows this plastic waste to be transformed into bricks, which are then destined to communities on other islands for the construction of homes.

A recent milestone occurred on 10 June 2025 during the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, when Plastic Odyssey signed a landmark agreement with UNESCO to collaborate on the protection and clean-up of more than 50 marine World Heritage sites. These include areas such as Henderson Island and Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, where it is estimated that there are more than 500 tonnes of accumulated waste; work already started. This alliance seeks to combine science, accessible technology and socio-environmental justice, strengthening ecological resilience and local capacities through the installation of micro-recycling plants and the scientific documentation of affected ecosystems. During the Ocean Conference, the Director-General of UNESCO, Ms Audrey Azoulay, participated in person to underline the urgency of safeguarding the natural and cultural heritage found in marine areas, together with the French Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Jean-Noël Barrot, highlighting the need for joint, global and sustained action in the face of the growing threats of climate change and plastic pollution.

The documentary shows how, with creativity and cooperation, even a modest boat can make a real impact: not only by removing pollution accumulated over decades, but also by opening paths towards a future without plastic pollution, replicable in other territories. It also highlights how accessible recycling technologies can be adopted by vulnerable communities, driving circular solutions, local employment and greater environmental awareness.

But this can not be the answer to intentions by some to further expand production and leave the expensive ‘end of pipe’ clean-up to those least contributing to the deluge. The on-going negotiations for an internationally binding plastic treaty must lead to reduced production, phasing out of toxic additives and types of plastic designed for recycling. This should be complemented by decisive efforts to replace fossils by biological feed stock. Challenging, but indispensable if we want to support a healthy ocean and human safety (Stegmann, Daioglou, Londo et al. 2022).

What can we do also individually to reduce our plastic footprint?

In addition to collective initiatives such as the Plastic Odyssey, each person can make a significant contribution to mitigating the release of microplastics from their daily habits. According to recent studies, an adult in an average urban environment can release up to 250 mg of microplastics per day, mainly from synthetic clothing, tires, and plastic packaging.

Some concrete measures include:

• Choose garments with less than 30% synthetic fibres, prioritizing organic cotton, linen or merino wool.
• Wash in cold water and short cycles, using filters or microfiber capture bags.
• Avoid cosmetics with microbeads or glitter and prefer products that are certified free of added plastics.
• Replace disposable hygiene products (diapers, wipes, sanitary napkins) with reusable and biodegradable alternatives.
• Avoid scratched plastics on cookware, using steel, glass or certified wood instead.

These actions not only reduce pollution at source but also promote more conscious and sustainable consumption.

Authors:

Marcelo L. Morales Yokobori (Professor and researcher at the Universidad de Belgrano, Argentina, and UNICEPES, Mexico; member of the Board of Directors of Mundus maris)

María del Carmen Patricia Morales (Coordinator of the UNESCO Chair in Human Security at UBP, Argentina, and member of the Board of Directors of Mundus maris)

References

Aminur Rahman, M., Mojumdar, S., Asif Rahman, Sk., & Marimuthu, K. (2023). Plastic pollutions in the ocean: Their sources, causes, effects and control measures. Journal of Biological Studies, 6(1), 37-52. https://doi.org/10.62400/jbs.v6i1.7755

Azevedo-Santos, V. M., Brito, M. F. G., Manoel, P. S., Perroca, J. F., Rodrigues-Filho, J. L. et al. (2021). Plastic pollution: A focus on freshwater biodiversity. Ambio, 50(7), 1313-1324. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-020-01496-5

Bonelli, C., & Morales Yokobori, M. (2022). Contaminación con microplásticos en peces de la costa porteña de Río de la Plata. Actas de Trabajos Completos del E-ICES 17, 17, 108-118. https://www.uncuyo.edu.ar/ices/upload/7aa50897dc621e3117d109bc8a4924c1.pdf

Hamilton, L. A., & Feit, S. (2019). Plastic & Climate: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet (p. 106). CIEL. https://environmentalintegrity.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Plastic-and-Climate-FINAL.pdf

Pathak, P., Sharma, S., & Ramakrishna, S. (2023). Circular transformation in plastic management lessens the carbon footprint of the plastic industry. Materials Today Sustainability, 22, 100365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtsust.2023.100365

Sanz-Lázaro, C., Casado-Coy, N., & Beltrán-Sanahuja, A. (2021). Biodegradable plastics can alter carbon and nitrogen cycles to a greater extent than conventional plastics in marine sediment. Science of The Total Environment, 756, 143978. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143978

Sharma, S., Sharma, V., & Chatterjee, S. (2023). Contribution of plastic and microplastic to global climate change and their conjoining impacts on the environment—A review. Science of The Total Environment, 875, 162627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162627

Stegmann, P., Daioglou, V., Londo, M. et al. (2022). Plastic futures and their CO2 emissions. Nature 612, 272–276. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05422-5