A Plastic Ocean

A Plastic Ocean
Name	A Plastic Ocean
Caption	Theatrical release poster
Director	Craig Leeson
Producer	Jo Ruxton
Music	Craig McConnell
Cinematography	Craig Leeson, Justin Hogan
Editing	Ian Ritchie
Studio	Plastic Oceans Foundation
Released	2016
Runtime	99 minutes
Country	Australia, United Kingdom, United States
Language	English

A Plastic Ocean

A Plastic Ocean is a 2016 documentary film directed by Craig Leeson that investigates the global problem of plastic pollution in the world's marine environments, combining investigative journalism with scientific research and conservation advocacy. The film features reporting from locations including the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the Indian Ocean, and Arctic waters, and includes interviews with scientists, activists, and policy-makers connected to oceanography and environmental protection. It catalyzed increased public attention to marine debris and led to expanded activity by advocacy organizations, research institutes, and legislative bodies addressing plastic waste.

Overview

The film opens with footage of field research teams working with institutions such as the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the University of Exeter, the University of Plymouth, the CSIRO, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration alongside interviews with figures associated with the Plastic Oceans Foundation, the World Wide Fund for Nature, and the United Nations Environment Programme. Featuring reporting in regions such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the Gulf of Thailand, the Mediterranean Sea, the Arctic Ocean, and coastal communities near the Ganges River, the documentary integrates contributions from oceanographers, marine biologists, and environmental lawyers connected to entities like the Smithsonian Institution, the Royal Society, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The production involved crowdfunding, festival screenings including the Glasgow Film Festival and distribution through independent channels linked to environmental NGOs such as Oceana and Surfrider Foundation.

Environmental Impact

A Plastic Ocean presents data and field observations highlighting the role of plastics in altering marine ecosystems, citing research projects affiliated with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the University of Washington, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center that document impacts on species in the Coral Triangle, the North Atlantic Ocean, and the Southern Ocean. The film discusses microplastics and their interactions with plankton, fish, and seabirds by referencing studies and expeditions connected to the European Marine Biological Resource Centre, the Marine Biological Association, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the British Antarctic Survey, and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. It highlights bioaccumulation and trophic transfer documented in case studies involving researchers at the University of São Paulo, the University of Cape Town, the University of British Columbia, the Monash University, and the University of Tokyo.

Sources and Distribution

The documentary traces sources of plastic pollution to urban centers, industrial hubs, and rivers, noting research partnerships with organizations such as the World Resources Institute, the World Bank Group, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and the Ocean Conservancy that model waste flows from river catchments like the Yangtze River, the Ganges River, the Mekong River, the Nile River, and the Amazon River. It shows distribution pathways through ocean currents and gyres documented by teams at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and the University of Hawaii that map debris accumulation in features such as the North Pacific Gyre and the Indian Ocean Gyre. The film references supply-chain and consumer-producer relationships involving corporations and trade frameworks monitored by institutions like the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the European Union, the World Trade Organization, and the International Maritime Organization.

Human Health and Socioeconomic Effects

A Plastic Ocean links contamination of seafood and coastal environments to studies conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Health Organization, the European Food Safety Authority, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and university research groups at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health that examine chemical additives, persistent organic pollutants, and microplastic uptake. The film documents impacts on livelihoods in fishing communities studied by the World Bank Group, the International Labour Organization, the Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, and regional universities such as the University of the Philippines and the University of Lagos. It highlights tourism and coastal economies affected in destinations promoted by organizations like UNESCO and regional bodies such as the Pacific Islands Forum and the Caribbean Community.

Responses and Mitigation

The documentary profiles mitigation efforts including community cleanups coordinated with NGOs like the Surfrider Foundation, Ocean Conservancy, The Ocean Cleanup, and the Plastic Pollution Coalition, legislative measures inspired by initiatives in jurisdictions such as the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, and municipal bans in cities connected to networks like C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy. It highlights technological and scientific responses developed at institutions including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Oxford, the Imperial College London, the Delft University of Technology, and the ETH Zurich, and references policy frameworks promoted by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and multilateral negotiations under the United Nations General Assembly and specialized agencies such as the International Maritime Organization.

Criticism and Controversy

Critics of the film include voices from scientific journals, policy analysts, and commentators associated with institutions such as the Nature (journal), the Science (journal), the Royal Statistical Society, the International Council for Science, and academics at the University of Melbourne and the University of California, Santa Barbara who have questioned aspects of methodology, representation of uncertainty, and emphasis on particular solutions. Debates have involved trade associations and corporations represented in forums like the International Chamber of Commerce and national ministries referenced in hearings of bodies such as the United States Congress and the European Parliament concerning responsibility, extended producer responsibility schemes, and the economic impacts of single-use plastic regulations. The discourse surrounding the film intersects with broader policy and scientific deliberations occurring in venues such as the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and the United Nations Environment Programme.

Category:Documentary films Category:Environmental films Category:Marine pollution