FIRST LEARNINGS FROM RACE FOR WATER ODYSSEE
Race for Water Odyssey Mid-term report
Scientific assessment- 22 beaches sampled on - 7 scientific stopovers- 84% of debris are plastics Plastic pollution was found everywhere- 6 scientific meeting organized (think tank, roundtable,
forums, etc.)- More than 60 members of the scientific community met
R4WO – Scientific results
Preliminary results : environmental aspect Plastic pollution is omnipresentWe found plastic debris at each sampling area. No place is immune.
Indicative Figure : Samples of Collected Microdebris
Samples of microdebris (including a large proportion of plastic)
Volume of substratum (usually sand) considered : 25 dm3, 50 cm wide by 50 cm long by 10 cm depth («quadrant»)
R4WO – Scientific results
Component/Institution
Objective Planning
Microplastics / EPFL
Identify microplastic (MP) quality and typology in order to characterize the material used and the primary function of this plastic.
Final report : April, 2016
Intermediate results will be provided regularly
Micropolluants / HEIA-FR
Qualitative determination of absorbed pollutants on microplastics.
Laboratory analysis will start in march 2016
Final results : March 2017
R4WO – Scientific results
Component/Institution
Objective Planning
Microplastics toxicity / Bordeaux
Assesss the microplastic toxicity on a cell line of fish, and on the development of a fish larvae, the Japanese Medaka, Oryzias latipes.
Cell line starting tests planned : September, 2015.
Preliminary results : End of November 2015.
Macroplastics / Duke
Automated aerial identification of macroplastics washed ashore
Online release three months after data reception.
Plankton/Roscoff and CNRS
1. Improve the knowledge about marine biodiversity by creating a genomic database of plankton,
2. Create a network of navigating citizens who participate to a global worldwide sampling.
Results expected end of September 2015.
R4WO – Scientific results
Preliminary results : social aspect
On every island (except for Hawaii)
1) Awareness raising is always a pillar 2) High costs related to shoreline clean-ups 3) Local people face marine debris with their own means 4) Local initiatives are key when the municipality does have the means/political will5) Systemic problems related to the waste management
Race for Water Odyssey Mid-term report
AWARENESS
44 organizations met
1 network of WATER GUARDIAN EXPERTS with 170 people contacted
7 partnerships with Swiss embassies, consulates or Swisness
500 children met
1 conference at the UN
8 public events touching
more than 3600 people
8 press conferences372 publications in 35 countries4090 followers on Facebook