Scientific Research
STUDY OF THE SLACK
by Stop Plastic Pollution
Waste collection by the sea :
From the big dune ( lat. : 50.794020, long. : 1.606489)
To the mouth of the Slack ( lat. : 50.804270, long. : 1.602234)
Distance : 1000 meters
FRANCE
During his daily run on the beach between the " Pointe aux Oies" and Ambleteuse, Steve Stievenart, plastic artist, discovered an English television washed in by the sea. This as the trigger for the study that he will conduct by himself over 1km stretch of beach for 2 months, 2 hours per day, or 120 hours of collection. Using a cart with low pressure tires manufactured specifically to roll on sand, he will collect all kinds of objects that he will sort and inventory in this workshop.
He has been surprised to discover plastic bottles from Japan, lighters from China, fish crates from Holland, England ...
However, the explanation for these multiple sources is simple : More than 400 commercial ships of all nationalities ( besides cruise ships and fishing boats) cross the strait every day, or nearly 150 000 per year.
Inventory :
Domestic use
More than 700 bottles
More than 400 lighters
1 refrigerator
1 shopping cart
Gas bottles
Toilets
Vacuum cleaner
Leisure activities
2 televisions
1 bike
Beach toys
Industry
More than 80 plastic drums
Toxic products
Building signage
Neon tubes
Engine oil
Industrial grease
From the fishery
More than 500 gloves
More than 120 crates
Traps
Nets
Buoys
Fishing lines
Pharmaceuticals
Syringes
Infusions
Drugs
Pregnancy tests
Tampons
Better medical treatments through new advances
The foundation has set itself the objective of working together with researchers all over the world in order to discover new medical compounds in the marine environment and develop the medicines of tomorrow.
The foundation plans to work together with young scientists, who will go out into field to study pollution at selected sites where specific issues have been identified.
Their mission will be to develop conservation programmes over the short term in the most urgent cases, and environmental protection programmes over the medium term.
In general terms, however, and due to the gravity of the situation, there is no longer any time left to waste with respect to capitalising on the energy, abilities and knowledge available.
