MEDIA ADVISORY

CONTACT: Lauren Cozzi, Plastic Oceans International

(202) 853-9608, lauren@laurencozzi.com

“Plastic waste has been documented in nearly all types of marine environments and has been found in species spanning all levels of marine food webs.”

—June 6 scientific report

by Plastic Oceans Scientific Advisor et al.

June 7, 2019 – MALIBU, Calif., U.S. – Plastic Oceans International, the nonprofit organization serving the ocean and public to end plastic pollution, has experts available for interview and comment surrounding World Oceans Day on June 8th.

The day is timely with new marine microplastics research, authored in part by Plastic Oceans Scientific Director Charles Rolsky, which finds that “plastic waste has been documented in nearly all types of marine environments and has been found in species spanning all levels of marine food webs.” The report published June 6 in the journal Environmental Science and Technology: The vertical distribution and biological transport of marine microplastics across the epipelagic and mesopelagic water column.

Contact Lauren Cozzi for interviews with the following Plastic Oceans International experts:

  • Julie Andersen, Global Executive Director, Plastic Oceans International

As Executive Director of Plastic Oceans International, Julie combines her education and life sciences career with her love of the ocean. She focuses on achieving Plastic Oceans’ goal to change the world’s attitude toward plastic, affecting consumer behavior, corporate and public policy. Julie has worked in public health and nonprofit management internationally for the past 15 years, including in the US, Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand. She has focused on communicating new means to improve and safeguard human health and the environment from negative effects of industrial development. Raised in San Diego, Julie was a swimmer and a triathlete, where the ocean was part of her daily lifestyle.

  • Charles Rolsky, Senior Scientific Advisor, Plastic Oceans International;

Author, The vertical distribution and biological transport of marine microplastics across the epipelagic and mesopelagic water column, Environmental Science and Technology, June 6, 2019

Charles conducts research at Arizona State University’s Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering. He works on marine and aquatic plastic pollution, which has emerged as a major source of concern within many ecosystems and environments around the world. Their identification, fate and impact are only now starting to be understood, and Charles has developed several analytical tools to help improve upon this. He collaborates with ASU’s Fulton School of Engineering on several projects pertaining to microplastics, as well as with many groups around the world, including as Scientific Advisor to Plastic Oceans International. Charles also works on using non-invasive research methods to collect species health information, including fecal samples from wild species like killer whales. Through this information, much knowledge can be gleaned pertaining to stress, reproduction and overall species health.

A marine biologist, Camila is Scientific Director of Plastic Oceans Chile. She focuses on the development and management of scientific research associated with conservation and anthropogenic pressure on ecosystems, and currently leads and manages multisectoral collaborative projects related to education, research and training. Camila is specifically interested in the impact of macro, micro and nanoplastics on marine organisms and humans. Developing this line of research has allowed Camila to publish in international scientific journals, testify for several Congresses and work with multidisciplinary teams in Chile and other countries, focusing on the impact of plastic in the ecosystem. She also serves on the editorial team of Endemic magazine, focusing on ​​science, where she periodically relates environmental problems that affect Chile and the world, from a legislative, ecosystemic and social approach. Camila is currently conducting research following Plastic Oceans’  Patagonia Expedition, which will be published. Read about her experience in Oceanographic. Magazine.

Mark has been executive director of Plastic Oceans Chile since June 2017. He oversees the organization’s development, networks creation and the establishment of international contacts and education programs tailored to the Chilean market. Mark also gives talks to raise issue awareness about ocean plastic pollution in Universities and municipalities. Since the start, his work at Plastic Oceans Chile has focused on the transition to a Circular Economy in Chile. For this purpose, Mark works with companies, NGOs, government institutes and international embassies to generate a multisectoral collaborative network to manage the intersectoral collaborations needed to convert the linear economy to circular. Mark uses local and international examples to show change is possible through will and vision. Mark is a Commercial Engineer, founded the startup GALOO, president of the Communal Environmental Committee of Providence and a professor. He won Best Community Environmental Committee of Chile by Seremi de Medio Ambiente in October 2017. Originally a Dutchman, Mark settled in Chile 10 years ago.

Adrian recently joined Plastic Oceans Canada as Executive Director in March. While only a few months into the new role, he is already building awareness and fostering solutions towards putting an end to plastic waste in our oceans. In preparation for this role, Adrian completed an extensive school tour across B.C. He reached 5,210 students, giving 28 presentations at 17 schools. The tour has created engagement and momentum for action in B.C. and has positioned Plastic Oceans Canada to expand its impact in the province and nationally, in addition to deepening knowledge of the various groups working in this space.

Mariana is a Mexican entrepreneur, passionate about our oceans, technology and the sustainable development of our planet. As Executive Director of Plastic Oceans Mexico, her work focuses on raising awareness, building educational programs and working on policy change. She is also a Partner and Director of Ecolana, a social business dedicated to educating people and to help connect consumers, brands, collection centers and recyclers to prevent plastic and other polluting materials from ending up in our oceans and/or land fields.

  • Tod Hardin, Head of Operations & Communications, Plastic Oceans International

Tod oversees marketing, development, special events and communications as Plastic Oceans’ Head of Operations & Communications. This includes the creation and distribution of inspirational solutions-focused film, media and awareness initiatives, paired with supportive activism, that promote a global movement to rethink plastic. He has been in the marketing and communications fields for over 25 years and worked in a variety of industries, from casinos and entertainment, to nonprofits, broadcasting, events and the fast-paced landscape of Silicon Valley’s tech world. Tod served as Executive Director of the Detroit Docs International Film Festival, building it from a small one-night event with a dozen films, to one of the largest documentary film festivals in the world – screening over 120 films at over a dozen venues. He currently sits on the board of The Social Forestry Project, in Detroit, Michigan; and serves on the board of the Next Echo Foundation, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that advocates for providing a voice and platform for the underserved creative community.

About Plastic Oceans International
Plastic Oceans International is a nonprofit organization serving the ocean and public to end plastic pollution. Its goal is to change the world’s attitude toward plastic, affecting consumer behavior, corporate and public policy. Plastic Oceans informs, inspires and incites action on plastic pollution to shift the global reliance on plastic. It uses inspirational solutions-focused film, media and awareness initiatives, paired with supportive activism, promoting a global movement to rethink plastic. At least eight million tons of plastic are dumped into the oceans every year—the equivalent of dumping one garbage truck of plastic into the ocean per minute. While more than 300 million tons of plastic are produced annually, more than 90% of all plastic is not recycled. Learn more at plasticoceans.org, on Facebook @PlasticOceans, Instagram @plasticoceans, Twitter @PlasticOceansUS and YouTube Plastic Oceans International.

###

PLEASE DONATE TO PLASTIC OCEANS