Pieter Jan Kole is a part-time student at the Open University of the Netherlands. Recently observing tyre debris at a Formula 1 race track got Pieter thinking about tyre wear and tear - and where it all goes. Pieter's ground-breaking research has now shown that tyres are a significant source of microplastics in our oceans - and a key risk to aquatic (and likely human) health. This is a fascinating chat, an inspiration for anyone considering embarking on their own research, and highlights the need for action to help protect our oceans and waterways from tyre wear and tear.

Useful links:

1. Pieter's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pieterjankole/?originalSubdomain=nl
2. National Geographic article “Tires: The plastic polluter you never thought about”: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/tires-unseen-plastic-polluter
3. Journal paper “Wear and Tear of Tyres: A Stealthy Source of Microplastics in the Environment”: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29053641/
4. Article “How Tyres Threaten Aquatic and Human Life”:   https://www.uw360.asia/how-tyres-threaten-aquatic-and-human-life/
5. IUCN article: “Primary microplastics in the oceans” https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/46622
6. Open University of the Netherlands "Marine litter": https://www.ou.nl/en/-/marine-litter

This is the first of our two-part chat with Pieter with the second (and final) part released next week.

For further information about Ocean Protect, check us out at www.oceanprotect.com.au

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