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Plastic pollution: how can we still consider turning back in 2026?

Plastic pollution: how can we still consider turning back in 2026?

Plastic pollution is accelerating. Science is sounding the alarm. And yet… France is preparing to give it even more power.

Since 2020, the AGEC law has set a clear course: reduce single‑use plastics, limit waste at the source, and protect both human health and biodiversity.

After years of work and commitments, France was finally moving in the right direction.

👉 Today, this progress is under threat.

As part of the Ddadue bill (an adaptation to European law), several amendments tabled in the Senate proposed rolling back these advances, some of them developed with representatives of the plastics industry.

Even though they were rejected in committee, nothing is settled yet: 🔁 they will return for debate during the public session.

The road remains full of obstacles, a clear sign of the power of lobbies willing to do whatever it takes to maintain the status quo.

Among the rollbacks being considered:

❌ postponing the end of single‑use plastic packaging to 2040,

❌ calling into question the 50% reduction in plastic bottles by 2030,

❌ bringing plastic containers back into school cafeterias and healthcare facilities,

❌ the possible return of free plastic bottles in offices and public buildings.

Unacceptable setbacks.

🔵 Science is unequivocal: plastic accumulates, fragments, and contaminates ecosystems and living organisms.

Turning back now would be an ecological and public‑health absurdity.

But one thing is certain:

You, as business leaders, are not condemned to wait.

Your ability to act does not depend on the parliamentary calendar:

➡️ You can move faster than the law.

➡️ You can support low‑impact, sustainable solutions.

➡️ You can align your decisions with scientific reality — not with industrial pressure.

In the face of rollback attempts, redoubling ambition is an act of responsibility.

Reducing plastic is not an option. It is a necessity.

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Thank you to BSMART 4Change for their commitment alongside us!

Thank you to BSMART 4Change for their commitment alongside us!

À l’occasion du Dîner de l’Océan 2026, BSMART 4Change met en lumière notre mobilisation collective à travers une vidéo dédiée.

➡️ Un partenariat média précieux pour amplifier un message simple : la science a besoin des entrepreneur.e.s.

🎤 Nous sommes également heureux d’annoncer que la soirée du jeudi 19 mars sera animée par Thomas Hugues, journaliste engagé sur les enjeux économiques et sociétaux. Sa présence donnera le ton d’un rendez-vous tourné vers l’impact et l’action.

🌟 Le Dîner de l’Océan, c’est bien plus qu’un événement. C’est un moment stratégique où dirigeantes, dirigeants, mécènes et scientifiques se réunissent pour accélérer la recherche océanique.

Merci à BSMART 4Change pour sa confiance et son soutien à la recherche scientifique au service de l’océan.

📍Jeudi 19 mars 2026 – Hôtel de Poulpry, Paris – Il reste quelques places, contactez nous !

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International Day of Women in Science!

Journée internationale des femmes de science !

International Day of Women in Science!

On this special day, let’s shine a spotlight on the women who are advancing marine research and opening new pathways for ocean protection.

Of the 34 research projects we support around the world, 20 are led or co‑led by women.

In a scientific field where women are still too often underrepresented, we are particularly proud to stand alongside them and support their work.

👩‍🔬🌎 Every day, they push back the boundaries of knowledge, transform our understanding of marine ecosystems, and help build the solutions of tomorrow.

To all these scientists who, often far from the spotlight, create real impact: thank you.

Your commitment is an inspiration.

✨ The women researchers behind these projects (alphabetical order):

Agnese Riccardi – Panther,
Alifa Bintha Haque – Bycatch & Beyond,
Ariadna Mecho – Mecopo,
Claudia Pogoreutz – SymbioSwap,
Elisa Areano – Mangrove Beekeeping,
Fanny Karatchodjoukova & Pauline Le Coq – Microcean,
Francimeire Costa – Regen Ocean Farms,
Hannah Epstein & Cassandra Benkwitt – Birds On Sticks,
Jennifer Lavers – Synsen & MicroPow,
Jennifer Matthews – Reef Reborn,
Katherine Bolstad – Antarctic Biolum,
Laura Barth – Polaris,
Laurence Le Direach – Floating Reef,
Lucie Cocquempot – Citizen into Science,
Luisa Fontoura – Fish On The Move,
Mar Benavides – Idefix,
Marta Ribes – SPO Plastic,
Megan Schuknecht – ALT‑Waste,
Nakia Cullain – Manta,
Nelia da Costa Mestre – RimiOmics.

🔎 Discover their remarkable projects: www.pure-ocean.org

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What if plastics in the ocean were far more dangerous than we think?

What if plastics in the ocean were far more dangerous than we think?

Not just because they suffocate marine animals.

But because they carry an invisible, chemical… and toxic pollution.

This week, we spoke out against the #TooMuch campaign, which downplays the impact of plastic, particularly on health.

A complex issue, often oversimplified to suit certain interests — especially those of industry.

But science is shedding light on a reality that rhetoric cannot erase.

👉 PlastiDrugs is a research project led by Rafael Trevisan, which we have supported since 2023 thanks to the commitment of our patrons.

Conducted between Brest and Santos (Brazil), it shows that marine plastics are far from inert.

They act as real chemical sponges, capable of absorbing and concentrating residues of pharmaceuticals and drugs.

☠️ Antidepressants. Painkillers. Caffeine. Cocaine. 💊

On some plastics, pollutant concentrations are up to 100 times higher than in the surrounding water.

And when they enter living organisms, the effects are immediate: up to 90% mortality observed in sea urchin embryos.

This pioneering work has already been recognized by the scientific community with several research awards, an extension funded by the City of Santos, and more. The entire team is extremely proud to support Rafael’s work — BRAVO!

This remarkable research reveals what is often left unsaid:

plastic does not only pollute.

It contaminates.

At Pure Ocean, we fund the science that brings clarity to the grey areas of the debate.

Because science should guide the narrative — never the other way around.

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Discover the heroes behind PANTHER’s success

Discover the heroes behind the success of the PANTHER project

🥳 Last week, we shared some great news from the PANTHER project: on the island of Pantelleria, the Secca di Campobello has been granted protected status dedicated to scientific research and ecological restoration!

🎥 Now discover the people who made this possible in a video produced by MedReAct, a key partner in the project.

A unique opportunity to dive into the heart of this unprecedented collaboration between researchers, fishers, activists, and local stakeholders — and to see how science and collective commitment are driving real change for the ocean.