Ben Lecomte
The ocean advocate raising awareness of plastic pollution by swimming across the Pacific Ocean and collecting scientific data.
icebreaker presents
WITNESS THE FIRST MAN TO SWIM 300 NAUTICAL MILES THROUGH THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF OCEAN PLASTIC ON EARTH.
Humans are responsible for 300 million tonnes of plastic each year, over 8 million tonnes of it enters our oceans.
100
days at sea
300
nautical miles to swim
600
microfibre ocean samples
The plastic vortex
1.6M sq/km
THE SUPPORT CREW
BEN: SWIMMING
FLOATING DEBRIS
MICROPLASTICS
Microfibres
LIFE ON PLASTIC
THE SUPPORT CREW
The crew will need a self-sufficient home for the three months they are on the water. The Discoverer is where the six crew members will eat, sleep and work, collecting and storing scientific samples. The 67-foot steel-hulled yacht is fully equipped for a long, unsupported journey.
BEN: SWIMMING
Ocean advocate Ben Lecomte will swim a total of 300 nautical miles for up to eight hours a day, through the most concentrated area of plastic pollution in the ocean, known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The scientific data he collects will help debunk the myths around plastic waste in the ocean.
FLOATING DEBRIS
Fishing nets, buckets, bottles, shoes, single-use plastics... ocean currents bring debris from all over the world and trap it in a circular vortex in the North Pacific. Ben and his crew are collecting samples and tagging items to learn more about where they come from and where they go.
MICROPLASTICS
When plastic rubbish ends up in the ocean, it gets broken down into smaller and smaller pieces. This collects into a smog of small, toxic particles, mostly invisible to the naked eye. Ben and his crew are using a net to filter sea water and catch these microplastics for analysis. So far, every sample has contained plastic.
Microfibres
Washing synthetic clothing releases plastic microfibres into the oceans - up to 700,000 in one full load of washing. Today, microfibres make up 85% of human-made debris on shorelines around the globe. By filtering samples of sea water, Ben and his crew are collecting these microscopic particles to learn more about the extent of this invisible threat.
LIFE ON PLASTIC
Marine life is the first victim of plastic pollution. Fish eat the microplastics, birds swallow floating debris, mammals suffocate from nets and plastic bags. From the ocean ecosystem to our food chain: the effects on our own health are still hard to comprehend as plastic makes its way back to our plates and drinking water. By observing marine life around the debris and taking samples, Ben and his crew are helping research into how life is interacting with plastic pollution.
DISCOVER THE TRUTH
The Vortex in depth
Deep dive: Microplastics
The hidden issue of when plastic breaks down and enters the ecosystem and our food chain.
Life Onboard
Six team members, one boat and three months of intense activity to collect data in support of ocean plastics research.
WE ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO REDUCE THE FUTURE IMPACT ON OUR OCEANS
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Media coverage
What impact does your clothing have?
Washing synthetic clothing can release plastic microfibres into the oceans – up to 700,000 fibres in one full load of washing. Discover how to be part of the change. Move to natural.
How we're reducing plastic
Natural Fibre Solutions
Leading the industry in replacing synthetics in our collections.
0% acrylic
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PLASTIC-ALTERNATIVE PACKAGING
Introducing a water-soluble bag for our products by the end of 2019.
