Plastic Soup Foundation launches Dick Vethaak Pioneer Award

On 21 November, Plastic Soup Foundation, ARTIS and Van Doorne lawyers organised the first edition of the One Planetary Health Symposium on the impact of micro- and nanoplastics on our health and innovative solutions to the plastic problem. During the symposium, Plastic Soup Foundation launched the ‘Dick Vethaak Pioneer Award’ to encourage pioneering research into the health impact of plastics and the additives therein.

"Prof Dr Dick Vethaak was a close friend and the first scientist to question whether plastic makes us sick, back in 2016. He was also the first, along with Heather Leslie, to find plastic in our blood. Sadly, Dick passed away far too early. He died in June this year and was only 70 years old. With this award, we want to permanently honour him and his pioneering work, said Maria Westerbos, founder and director of Plastic Soup Foundation (PSF).

During the symposium, leading scientists shared the latest disturbing research findings on the health impact of plastics and called for action. ‘If we pull together, we can do something right now,’ said Dr Heather Leslie, independent scientist and consultant.