Origin story - Plastic Soup Surfer

From frustration on the beach to an international movement
The story of the Plastic Soup Surfer began on the beach. Merijn Tinga – biologist, surfer and artist – was frustrated by the large amounts of plastic debris floating in the sea during his sessions. As a biologist, he understood the ecological and health impacts of plastic pollution. In 2014 he combined art, science and activism, building his first surfboard from plastic litter and kitesurfing 350 kilometers along the Dutch and Belgian coast to raise awareness of the growing plastic soup.

That expedition marked the birth of the Plastic Soup Surfer: an organisation that combines visibility, research and systemic change to tackle plastic pollution at the source.

From expeditions to systemic change
During a five-month sailing journey along the Scandinavian coast in 2015, Merijn and his family collected and studied marine litter. This experience made it clear that clean-ups alone are insufficient. The core problem lies in disposable products and packaging. From then on, the focus shifted to source reduction, policy change and producer responsibility.

Through expeditions across the North Sea, the Rhine River and Europe’s coastline, the Plastic Soup Surfer generated political momentum. A citizen petition with 55,000 signatures contributed to the introduction of deposit-return systems for small plastic bottles (2021) and cans (2023) in the Netherlands, widely recognized as a landmark case of effective citizen-driven policy change.

Legal and societal innovation
The Plastic Soup Surfer developed novel strategies to hold companies accountable, including the “formal notice” (Desbewustheidsexploot)  a formal legal notification informing producers of the environmental impacts of their products. Through citizen science, tens of thousands of litter photos were collected, leading to the removal of products such as plastic confetti, water balloons and plastic-containing fireworks from the market.

The Plastic Avengers community
To mobilize citizens, policymakers and designers, the Plastic Avengers App was created. The app enables people to document litter and use the data in research and campaigns. Around this community, the organization hosts conferences, events and a monthly podcast focused on transforming packaging systems, policy frameworks and consumer behavior.

Since 2019, three live Plastic Avengers Conferences and one international online edition have been organized, bringing together stakeholders from science, policy, industry and civil society. The Plastic Avengers Manifesto provides a framework for a new relationship with plastic.

International surf campaigns and sea diplomacy
The expeditions have evolved into international campaigns where sport, storytelling and diplomacy converge. Merijn windsurfs on boards made from recycled plastics and litter, meeting ministers, mayors, CEOs and international institutions along the way. His ongoing Oslo–Rome expedition (2023–2026) connects Northern and Southern Europe in a call for deposit systems and reuse. In 2026, a meeting with Pope Leo XIV is planned to highlight the moral and societal urgency of plastic pollution.

Three strategic pillars
Today, the Plastic Soup Surfer organization operates through three strategic pillars:

1. Research and advocacy
   Scientific research on litter risk, packaging design and policy instruments, combined with targeted advocacy toward governments, companies and international institutions.
2. Community and citizen science
   A growing network of Plastic Avengers collecting data via the app, supporting campaigns and contributing to public awareness and policy change.
3. International surf campaigns
   Expeditions as catalysts for media attention, storytelling and diplomacy, translating encounters with leaders and institutions into tangible systemic change.

Publications and media
Merijn Tinga authored two books (in Dutch): Plastic Soup Surfer – How One Person Can Make a Difference (2021) and Against the Current (2025). Multiple documentaries have been broadcast internationally, including on National Geographic. A monthly podcast connects the community, researchers and policymakers.

From individual to organization
What started with one surfer on a polluted beach has grown into an international organization combining research, advocacy, citizen science and expeditions. The Plastic Soup Surfer works toward a future in which packaging is designed with llitterrisk in mind, reuse is the norm, producers take responsibility, and plastic pollution is stopped at the source.

Merijn Tinga (Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, 1972) is a Dutch biologist, kitesurfer and environmental activist. He is married, has two childeren and lives and workes in Leiden (Netherlands).

See all the expeditions on  the map  (Engels).