Dossier
Plastic waste and marine wildlife
Annually between 5 and 13 million tonnes of plastic are lost from land to sea and end up as what is known as ‘the plastic soup’. Marine birds and other wildlife accidentally ingest plastic litter or become entangled. Wageningen Marine Research investigates the impact of plastic debris on the marine environment and its wildlife. Our institute is founder of a permanent monitoring program of plastics in stomachs of Northern Fulmars in the North Sea. Results are used by Dutch and European authorities to evaluate and plan measures to reduce marine litter.
News about plastic waste and marine wildlife
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Dirty birds – Clean hands
- Collecting northern fulmars from beaches for research can be a dirty job. This is certainly the case in our plastic monitoring project, in which old... -
Looking into the future
- The monitoring research of plastics in stomach contents of Northern Fulmars has made an important step forward. Together with colleagues from all... -
Changing of the guard
- As of the first of January 2021, Jan Andries van Franeker has retired. With heart and soul, he has dedicated his research to Antarctic ecosystems and...
News from previous years
News 2020
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Detonation cord in the stomach of a fulmar
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PhD thesis defence Susanne Kühn
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Fulmar report for the Netherlands 2019
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British fulmars confirm decrease in plastic debris
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Volunteers are invaluable in fulmar research
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Global overview of plastic ingestion by marine wildlife
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Dutch Wadden society looks back at the ZOE container incident
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Edwin Foekema and Jan van Franeker on regional television (Omrop Fryslân) about plastic pellets in the Wadden sea
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Industrial plastic pellets on Dutch television
News 2019
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Plastic in North Sea fish
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Jan Andries van Franeker at De Buitendienst about plastic in fulmars
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Northern Fulmar and plastics – monitoring report 2018
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Fulmar mortuary
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Famous Fulmar
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Chemicals from ingested plastics
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Guillemot mortality after the MSC Zoe – the importance of long-term studies
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Again biobeads on the Dutch coast
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Paraffin and palm oil on the beach and in stomachs of Northern Fulmars
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Five questions concerning the impact of the loss of containers from the vessel MSC Zoë
News 2018
News 2017
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BBC Two 'Autumnwatch' about fulmars and plastic waste
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A little less plastics in fulmar stomachs
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Plant remains in the stomachs of Northern Fulmars
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Video: extreme example of plastic in bird's stomach
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Northern fulmars as signposts in international marine policy
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Sea-scented plastic revisited
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The Arctic: a hotspot for marine litter
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Trends in balloon litter on beaches in the Netherlands
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Harm from marine litter?
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Potassium hydroxide: suitable for isolating plastic particles from marine organisms?
News 2016
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Less plastic in stomachs of fulmars
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Sea-scented plastic? Unrealistic!
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Researcher presents plastic in birds in TV program 'F*** Off With Your Environment'
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Seabird plastic monitoring in Ireland
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Dubious honour for the Gannet
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Research plastic in Northern fulmars is a global example
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Feathers with a story
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Where is all our plastic?
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Willem Wever: why is plastic so bad for birds?
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How harmful is plastic marine debris?
News 2015
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Plastic litter and fur seals in Antarctica
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How much microplastic floats around in the plastic soup?
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New review of the effects of plastic litter on marine wildlife
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Impacts from plastic debris – more than individual harm
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Stranded humpback whale ‘Johanna’ had microplastics in her stomach
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Seabirds, oceanic gyres and plastic pollution
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A closer look at plastics from fulmar stomachs
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Plastics in fulmars from the high arctic
News 2014
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New report: Monitoring plastics in Northern fulmars
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BBC Radio on Ocean Plastic and Seabirds
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News from Nature: Jan Andries van Franeker on plastics in seabirds
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IMARES and the national BeachCleanUp
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Unusual quantity of plastic debris on Dutch Wadden Sea Islands
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Kassa Groen TV: Jan Andries van Franeker about plastic in Northern Fulmars
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Research plastic litter in Dutch TV programmes for the youth
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Crows in trouble by plastics
News 2013
News 2012
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Plastic litter in seal stomachs
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Convention on Biological Diversity
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Fulmar EcoQO monitoring goes Pacific
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Research IMARES in film 'Plastic in the sea'
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‘Ocean Hope’ exhibition on Norwegian beach
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New European Report on impacts of plastic waste
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Fulmar book Faroe Islands
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New results from international pellet watch
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Dutch TV program on marine plastic debris
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Fulmar autopsy on Dutch television
News 2011
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Plastic Soup three-day event
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Plastic soup on our plate
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Blog research on Faroer islands
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Plastic soup is everywhere...
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Birds digest plastic faster than believed
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Film for Coastwatch
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Seabirds transport plastics around the world
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IMARES Fulmar research in UNEP Yearbook 2011
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Documentary 'Any Waste Any Time'
News 2010
News 2009
Publications
Articles
(in journals, news, magazines, and newspapers)
2019
2017
- Straver, F. (2017) Plastic kan via plankton koers zetten naar mensenmond. Trouw 21 April 2017: 9
- Speksnijder, C. (2017) Plasticsoep in Noordelijke IJszee. De Volkskrant 20 April 2017: 27
- Groen, R. 2017. Wetenschap: Jan Andries van Franeker strijdt tegen plastic zwerfvuil. VANDAAG 2(1): 28-29
2016
- Kuysters, J. & Van der Laan, W. 2016. Can cruisers make a difference? Latitude 38: 64-67.
2015
- Qualite de l'eau et contaminations dans l'Estuaire de la Seine: Les macrodéchets - May 2015 - GIP Seine-AVAL
- Tierwelt leidet an Plastikabfällen: FTIR-Analyse von Polymeren in Mägen von Eissturmvögeln - LABO 2015-4
- Animal kingdom suffering from plastic wastes - FTIR analysis of polymers in fulmars - Shimadzu News 1/2015
2014
- Strandschoonmaak Texel hard nodig - 23 aug 2014 - Helderse Courant
2013
- Wij eten plastic soep (in Dutch) - NRC 8 June 2013
- Meerjungfrauentränen - Elementanalytik von Kunststoffen in der Nahrungskette - Labo 08/2013
2012
- Meeresvögel beschleunigen Anreicherung von Mikroplastik - Naturwissenschaftliche Rundschau 65
- Meer plastic afval in zee dan gedacht 27 apr 2012 - Trouw
2011
- Seabird ingestion of plastic litter still exceeding policy targets - Science for Environment Policy 2011. European Commission DG ENV News Alert Issue 264 (1 December 2011): 1.
- Fast alle Nordsee-Vögel haben Muell im Bauch 16 dec 2011 -
- Plastic in stormvogelmaag Kinderen basisschool De Kariboe kijken hun ogen uit - 2 dec 2011 - Noord Hollands Dagblad
- Plastic soep komt op ons bord okt 2011- Milieu nr. 6: pag. 8-11 Dit artikel is onderdeel van een aantal artikelen in het tijdschrift 'MILIEU' over hetzelfde onderwerp. De andere verschenen artikelen zijn:
- Plastic eiland? De werkelijkheid is erger! Van Weenen, H. 2011 Milieu 2011-2: 6-7.
- Help plastic afval de zee uit Ten Wolde, A. 2012. Milieu 2012 nr 1: 8-11.
- Zeevogels verspreiden dodelijk plastic over de hele wereld - 30 apr 2011 - Reformatorisch Dagblad
- Vogels poepen natuur vol plastic afval 28 apr 2011 - AD
- Plastic zwerfvuil drama voor zeedieren 29 mrt 2011 - Reformatorisch Dagblad
- 8 miljoen stuks plastic per dag - 28 mrt 2011 - Volkskrant
- Zeevogels verspreiden dodelijk plastic over hele wereld 28 mrt 2011 - hnl
- Plastic. Het dieet van een zeevogel 25 mrt 2011 - Metro
2010
- Olje-Norge Blokkerte boreforbud / Serverte Solheim sjofugl full av plast 25 sep 2010 - Bergens Tidende
- Rosse Franjepoot Phalaropus fulicaria fourageert in plastic soep 18 aug 2010 - SULA
- Zee van plastic 15 mei 2010 - VPRO-gids
- Aanpak 'plastic soep' vraagt om strengere regels 5 mei 2010 - Staatscourant
- Plastic soep verzuipt de zee 16 apr 2010 - Spits
- Plastic soep is onverteerbaar 10 apr 2010 - Reformatorisch Dagblad
- Zeilen op een zee van plastic 26 mrt 2010 - De Gelderlander
- Plastic rubbish blights Atlantic Ocean 24 feb 2010 - BBC News
- Ocean pollution mapped through lost industrial plastic granules - 6 jan 2010 - Int. Pellet Watch
2009
- Zwerfvuil in de Noordzee- Klein afval, grote gevolgen sep 2009 - De Levende Natuur
- Les Oceans malades du plastique Science & Vie Nr 1103 (Aout 2009): 70-77
- Dit zit in jouw maag 9 jun 2009 - NRC Next
- Stranding van Noordse Stormvogels begin januari 2009 2009 - Sula
2008
- Koninginnedag in Frankrijk nov 2008 - nieuwsbrief NZG
- Vervuiling van de zee - Ballonnen in zee 2008 - Sula
- De oceaan als vuilnisvat nov 2008 - Wildlife
- Vervuiling van de zee - Zeevissen met zacht plastic kunstaas 2008 - Sula
Reports
2019
2018
2016
2015
- Fulmar Litter EcoQO monitoring in the Netherlands - Update 2014 Van Franeker, J.A. IMARES Report 123/15
- Impact of marine debris on Antarctic fur seals Arctocephalus gazella at Cape Shirreff: diet dependent ingestion and entanglement. Preliminary results - 2015
2014
- Plastic ingestion by Northern Fulmars, Fulmarus glacialis, in Svalbard and Iceland, and relationships between plastic ingestion and contaminant uptake. Trevail, A.M., Gabrielsen, G.W., Kühn, S., Bock, A. & Van Franeker, J.A. 2014. Norsk PolarInstitutt Kortrappport/Brief Report Series 2014-029. (24pp).
- Fulmar Litter EcoQO monitoring in the Netherlands - Update 2012 and 2013
Van Franeker, J.A., S. Kühn, E.L. Bravo Rebolledo & A. Meijboom (2014)
IMARES Report C122/14. IMARES, Texel. 56pp
2013
- Fulmar Litter EcoQO monitoring along Dutch and North Sea coasts - Update 2010 and 2011 IMARES Report C076/13
- Dutch Summary
- English Summary
2011
- Fulmar Litter EcoQO monitoring along Dutch and North Sea coasts in relation to EU Directive 2000/59/EC on Port Reception Facilities: results to 2009. 2011 - IMARES
2010
- Fulmar Litter EcoQO Monitoring in the Netherlands 1979-2008 in relation to EU Directive 000/59/EC on Port Reception Facilities mei 2010 - IMARES
- Marine Strategy Framework Directive - Task Group 10 Report Marine litter april 2010 - SETAC Conferentie, Spanje
2009
- Fulmar Litter EcoQO Monitoring in the Netherlands 1979-2007in relation to EU Directive 2000/59/EC on Port Reception Facilities 2009 - IMARES
2008
Publications
2018
2017
- Does DMS buildup really explain plastic ingestion by seabirds? A comment on Savoca et al. Gaia Dell’Ariccia, Richard A. Phillips, Jan A. van Franeker, Nicolas Gaidet, Paulo Catry, José P. Granadeiro, Peter G. Ryan, Francesco Bonadonna (2017) Science Advances
2016
- The use of potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution as a suitable approach to isolate plastics ingested by marine organisms. Kühn, S., Van Werven, B., Van Oyen, A., Meijboom, A., Bravo Rebolledo, E.L. & Van Franeker, J.A. 2016.,. Marine Pollution Bulletin (online)
- Quantifying ingested debris in marine megafauna: a review and recommendations for standardization. Provencher, J.F., Bond, A.L., Avery-Gomm, S., Borrelle, S.B., Bravo Rebolledo, E.L., Hammer, S., Kühn, S., Lavers, J.L., Mallory, M.L., Trevail, A. & Van Franeker, J.A. (2016) Analytical Methods (online)
2015
- Seabirds, gyres and global trends in plastic pollution.
Van Franeker, J.A. & Law, K.L. 2015. Environmental Pollution 203: 89-96 - Microplastic in a macro filter feeder: Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae
E. Besselinga, E.M. Foekema, J.A. Van Franeker, M.F. Leopold, S. Kühn, E.L. Bravo Rebolledo, E. Heße, L. Mielke, J. IJzer, P. Kamminga, A.A. Koelmans. Marine Pollution Bulletin - Elevated levels of ingested plastic in a high Arctic seabird, the northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis).
Trevail, A.M., Gabrielsen, G.W., Kühn, S. & Van Franeker, J.A. 2015. Polar Biology - Linking effects of anthropogenic debris to ecological impacts
Mark Anthony Browne, A. J. Underwood, M. G. Chapman, Rob Williams, Richard C. Thompson, Jan A. van Franeker. Proceedings Royal Society B 20142929 (11pp).
2014
- Monitoring Plastic Waste using FTIR Spectroscopy
Abstracts EUCMOS 2014 - aug 2014 - The OSPAR Ecological Quality Objective on plastics ingested by fulmars
Van Franeker, J.A.; & the SNS Fulmar Study Group 2014. International Marine Conservation Congress, Glasgow, Scotland 14-18 August 2014. Oral contribution SY71.1.
2013
- Plastic in North Sea Fish E.M. Foekema, C. de Gruijter, M.T. Mergia, J.A. van Franeker, A.J. Murk & A.A. Koelmans. (2013) Environmental Science and Technology 47: 8818–8824.
2012
- Plastic ingestion by harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in The Netherlands Bravo Rebolledo, E.L., Van Franeker, J.A., Jansen, O.E. & Brasseur, M.J.M. Marine Pollution Bulletin (2012 in press) Bravo Rebolledo, E.L., Van Franeker, J.A., Jansen, O.E. & Brasseur, M.J.M. Marine Pollution Bulletin (2012 in press)
- Dietry variation in chick-feeding and self-provisioning Cape Petrel Daption capense and snow petrel Pagodroma nivea at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica Marine Ornithology 40: 81–87 (2012)
- Plastic ingestion by the Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) in Iceland 2012 - article Marine Pollution Bulletin (in press, online)
2011
- Monitoring plastic ingestion by the northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis in the North Sea 2011 - Environmental Pollution
- Van Franeker, J.A. & SNS Fulmar Study Group 2011. A standard protocol for monitoring marine debris using seabird stomach contents: the Fulmar EcoQO approach from the North Sea. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS-OR&R-38: 116-120.
- Van Franeker, J.A. 2011. Reshape and relocate: seabirds as transformers and transporters of microplastics. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS-OR&R-38:278-280.
- Van Franeker, J.A. & SNS Fulmar Study Group 2011. Chemicals in marine plastics and potential risks for a seabird like the Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis). NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS-OR&R-38: 415-418
- Marine Litter - Technical recommendations for the implementation of MSFD requirements 2011 - Joint Research Centre
- Plastic Debris in the Ocean 17 feb 2011 - Chapter in UNEP Yearbook 2011
2009
- Monitoring the abundance of plastic debris in the marine environment 2009 - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.
- Foolish fulmars and their contribution to ecological quality 2009 - abstract Proceedings of the International Research Workshop on the Occurrence, Effects and Fate of Microplastic Marine Debris
Posters and fact sheets
- Als vogels mensen waren
- Wenn Vögel Menschen wären
- Heavy metals in plastic, recycling and environmental aspects – 2015
- Plastic ingestion by harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in The Netherlands
- Gestrandet vor unserer Haustür: Plastikmüll in der Nordsee - Michael Otto Stiftung 2012 - Poster for Exhibition "Endstation Meer - Das Plastikmüllprojekt" in the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe (MKG), Hamburg
- Inventory of the presence of plastics in the digestive tract of North Sea fishes May 2011 - SETAC Milan
- Proposing Methodological standards for monitoring marine litter, in order to achieve good environmental status in the framework of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) April 2010 - SETAC Conferentie
- De Noordse Stormvogel: vuilnisvat van de Noordzee en graadmeter voor ecologische kwaliteit 2010 - Noordzeedagen
Presentations
- Monitoring Plastic Waste Using FTIR Spectroscopy - Van Oyen, A., Van Franeker, J.A., Oppermann, U. & Egelkraut-Holthus, M. 2014 - p 68 in: Schmitt, M., Book of Abstracts EUCMOS 2014 Düsseldorf, Abstract EAS 3.1.
- A standard protocol for monitoring marine debris using seabird stomach contents: the Fulmar EcoQO approach from the North Sea mrt 2011 - www.5imdc.org
- Reshape and relocate: Seabirds as transformers and transporters of microplastics mrt 2011 - www.5imdc.org
- Chemicals in marine plastics and potential risks for a seabird like the Northern Fulmar (Fullmarus glacialis) mrt 2011 - www.5imdc.org
Radio & TV
- Researcher presents plastic in birds in TV program 'F*** Off With Your Environment' - 19 oct 2016
- Waarom is plastic zo slecht voor vogels? - 11 apr 2016 - Willem Wever op Zapp (9:45 - 12:45 min)(in Dutch)
- BBC Radio on Ocean Plastic and Seabirds - 30 sept 2014
- News from Nature: Jan Andries van Franeker on plastics in seabirds - 29 sept 2014
- Kassa Groen TV: Jan Andries van Franeker about plastic in Northern Fulmars - 10 june 2014
- Interview Elisa Bravo Rebolledo on the radio programme Vroege Vogels - 24 March 2013 (on 86:00 min - in Dutch)
- Interview Jan Andries van Franeker about plastic waste in stomaches of Northern Fulmars - 2012 on the French Canal+ at 1:23
- Interview Jan Andries van Franeker: Plastic Soep 3 daagse 27 nov 2011 - Vroege Vogels
- Stormvogelonderzoek IMARES bij ConusuMinderMan - dec 2008 - Llink
- Plastic afvalberg in de Stille Oceaan en Noordzee - 4 aug 2008 - Netwerk
Films
- Too Good To Waste - Sep 2014 - Rotterdams Havenbedrijf
- Lille Hav Hvad Nu? (Danish documentary: Little Sea, what now?) - Nov 2013 - Danish documentary by Chilbal Film on various threats of our marine environment, including plastic. The part about plastic begins at 46 min.
- Litter documentary of Surfrider Europe - apr 2012 - Documentaire Surfrider Foundation (NL)
- Vuilvis project - Fishing for Litter 9 feb 2012 - YouTube
- Plastic Soup is everywhere 4 jul 2011 - YouTube
- Documentary 'Any Waste Any Time' - jan 2011 - Rotterdams Havenbedrijf
- Plastic Soup van de band PBII 18 okt 2010 - Clip van de band PBII
- Addicted to Plastic jan 2010 - Ian Connacher
- Afval aan Zee - jan 2010 - Melvin Tool
- Stormvogel EcoQO Workshop - feb 2009 - IMARES
