The documentary “Plastic Odyssey: Pacific Mission” follows the expedition led by a team determined to combat plastic pollution in the oceans.
Plastic Odyssey: about the Team
Plastic Odyssey was founded in 2017 by Simon Bernard, a former merchant navy officer driven by a deep passion for environmental issues.
In 2016, while volunteering for the Low Tech Lab project, Simon became aware of the extent of plastic pollution affecting coastlines and oceans. This realization led him to win the Green Tech Verte competition organized by the Ministry of the Environment the same year, which helped bring his innovative ideas to life. In 2018, he co-founded Plastic Odyssey, an organization dedicated to fighting marine plastic pollution and repurposing plastic waste from coastal areas.
Alexandre Dechelotte, Chief Communication Officer Plastic Odyssey
Also a merchant navy officer and father of two young children, he is driven by the desire to create a better world for future generations. He plays a key role in raising awareness and promoting the project.
Bob Vrignaud, Chief Technology Officer Plastic Odyssey
An ICAM-trained engineer and a passionate tinkerer, he designs innovative technical solutions to transform plastic waste into useful resources.
The Mission
Aboard a laboratory ship, the team sails the seas to develop practical solutions and raise awareness among local populations.
Directed by Pierre De Parscau and produced by Les Gens Bien Production & Plastic Odyssey, this new film documents the unprecedented challenge undertaken by the Plastic Odyssey team in the Pacific Ocean: attempting to extract and recycle over 10 tons of plastic waste accumulated on Henderson Atoll, a small 38 km² island that holds the unfortunate record for the highest density of plastic debris in the world.
An “impossible mission” to preserve nature, raise public awareness about the devastating effects of plastic pollution, and help the inhabitants of the Pitcairn Islands transform this waste into building materials.
Although uninhabited, this island is sadly notorious for being one of the most polluted places on Earth, with tons of plastic waste piling up on its shores. In February 2024, the Plastic Odyssey team removed around nine tons of waste from the island, using innovative methods like transporting plastic bags with parasailing equipment to cross the coral reef barrier.
Premiere at Folies Bergères
Interview with Maéva Bardy, photojournalist onboard Plastic Odyssey
On December 18, 2024, the film “Plastic Odyssey: Pacific Mission” was premiered at the Folies Bergères in Paris, where I met Maéva Bardy, photojournalist onboard the Plastic Odyssey vessel.
– What motivated you to join the Plastic Odyssey mission?
When Plastic Odyssey contacted me in December 2022 to join the expedition, I was already familiar with their project. Since 2015, I’ve been working as a visual reporter, specializing in itinerant missions on land and at sea. Travel is in my DNA, and this type of mission is my core focus.
With an academic background in science journalism (Master’s in Molecular and Cellular Biology from ENS and a Master’s in Journalism and Communication from EJCAM), I have a strong interest in environmental and nature protection topics.
– How did you get into reporting/photography? What led you to focus on environmental issues?
For the past 10 years, I’ve been filming sailing races, motorcycle road trips, and scientific expeditions. Before that, I worked as a communications manager in the family business, spending my days in front of a computer screen. Then one day, I heard about the Tara Ocean Foundation project.
It was a real turning point, marking a major shift in my lifestyle! My horizons expanded, and I decided to change my career path. Two years later, after completing film school, I fulfilled my dream of joining the schooner Tara as an onboard correspondent.
– What were the biggest challenges you faced during this expedition, both professionally and personally?
On long-term missions, besides being away from loved ones, the biggest challenge is managing your energy to sustain yourself over time. It may sound trivial, but I love eating well and getting good sleep—two essentials that are sometimes hard to come by during missions.
For example, during sailing races, you can face extreme conditions, get very little sleep, and even have food rationing… This is not the case at all on Plastic Odyssey! For me, it’s a five-star mission!
– As a woman, how do you experience being in the minority within the crew? Has it influenced your work or interactions?
I’ve often worked in male-dominated environments, and it’s never held me back.
In fact, surprisingly, being a woman can sometimes be an advantage: on motorcycle road trips, for instance, the rider may prefer a lighter passenger. In sailing races, my presence has helped create a trusting environment for interviews. Interestingly, on this mission, the TV production director now hires only women!
– What moments or images impacted you the most during this mission?
I’ve documented several stops of the Plastic Odyssey ship (Tunisia, Senegal, Guinea-Conakry, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Philippines). What affected me the most were visits to open-air landfills. Nothing makes you more aware of the problem’s scale.
Images of children playing on heaps of waste in Indonesia are etched in my memory. If everyone set foot in such places, we’d all be more conscious of the massive amount of waste our society produces and cannot manage.
– Which local initiatives inspired you the most during this mission?
Facing these landscapes filled with accumulated waste or marine debris, it’s easy to feel discouraged, but we meet incredibly inspiring people who are actively fighting plastic pollution.
For example, there’s Valérine in Bali, who manufactures recycling machines, Myriam in Guinea-Conakry, who turns plastic into road paving stones, and Eric in Hong Kong, who employs elderly people in his recycling center—people who previously had to collect street waste to survive.
– Do you think women’s roles in such projects should be highlighted more? Why?
Personally, as a woman, I’m passionate about showcasing those who are actively working to make a difference. Their commitment is inspiring and gives hope for our collective future.
– How has this mission changed your perception of journalism’s role in environmental issues?
My job has allowed me to discover breathtaking landscapes and witness the beauty of our planet.
But with Plastic Odyssey, my role is to document the other side of the story: landfills, sorting centers, etc. It’s less glamorous, but it gives my work a deeper purpose. By raising public awareness, I feel like I’m making a modest contribution to driving change.
– What advice would you give to young women who want to pursue this career or engage in environmental causes?
Don’t let gender barriers hold you back. And if a door is closed, find another way—go through the window!
Travel has taught me so much, and as they say, it’s not the destination that matters! This job is an adventure where the journey, with all its obstacles, offers invaluable learning opportunities.
– Can you share your upcoming projects or role models that inspire you?
Among my projects, I plan to join the Tara Polar Station this summer, write a graphic novel to share my experiences as a reporter during the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race, and eventually coordinate the next expedition of the Radeau des Cimes.
We’ve even created the Horizon Canopée association to bring this ambitious project to life.
I’m surrounded by inspiring people who fuel my motivation. The Plastic Odyssey team is a perfect example: Simon and Alexandre’s determination to see this project through and their ability to dream big are truly admirable.
Photographs from www.maevabardy.com
PLASTIC ODYSSEY: PACIFIC MISSION
