Hands-on at the exhibit

• Explore the sources and pathways of plastic in the ocean using plasticadrift.org.  
• Discover how a plastic bottle breaks down into micropellets. 
• Discuss and vote for solutions to ocean plastic pollution.

Find out more

Have you ever seen upsetting images of turtles, sea birds and fish tangled in plastic debris? The truth is that plastic is everywhere in the ocean, harming marine wildlife, and it will take extensive action to improve the situation. Our exhibit highlights the global plastic problem, and spotlights some of the high- and low-tech approaches to tackling it.

Oceanic plastic pollution comes from a wide variety of sources and it does most harm to natural environment and the economy close to coastlines. Large pieces of plastic can entangle marine animals, while tiny pieces – broken down by the action of water and the sun – cause harm by entering the food chain. To clear up this mess requires combined social, political, scientific and engineering solutions that remove the pollution already out there, and prevent more plastic entering the ocean. Join us to discuss the solutions to the plastic problem the world is facing.

Explore interactive ocean pathways and find out more about the exhibit at plasticadrift.org, and share your ideas on solving plastic pollution with #plasticnotfantastic.

Presented by: Imperial College London, Grantham Institute - Climate Change and the Environment, Department of Physics, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nextek.org