Van plastic soup naar beleid – De expedities van Merijn Tinga
For more than a decade, Merijn Tinga — also known as the Plastic Soup Surfer — has been working on practical and effective solutions to combat plastic pollution. His journey began when he discovered large numbers of Dutch and British plastic bottles washed ashore on the coasts of Norway and Sweden. This made clear how international the waste stream is and inspired him to launch a petition for deposit-return legislation. With 55,000 signatures, the petition led to a Dutch parliamentary motion in 2017 that played an important role in the eventual introduction of a national deposit system.
Since the implementation of deposits on small bottles (2021) and cans (2023), litter from these items has dropped by around 80% in the Netherlands. This success now fuels Tinga’s international mission: sharing the lessons, data and lobbying experience with other countries that have yet to introduce deposit-return systems.
Research and Advocacy Objective
Through long-distance windsurf and SUP expeditions, Tinga travels along coastlines and rivers to investigate local litter, collect data, and speak with mayors, ministers, NGOs and policy experts. He demonstrates that deposit-return systems work, highlights the problem from the water itself, and builds connections between activists, scientists, citizens and lawmakers.
An increasingly important element of his work is enabling citizen science: communities along rivers and coastlines are encouraged to use AI photo analysis to gather local litter data, producing evidence that supports effective policy.
Development of Method and International Impact
Paris–Nice Surf Expedition 2025
In May 2025, Tinga paddled upstream on the Seine toward the UN Ocean Conference in Nice. This expedition introduced a new call to action: encouraging the French litter-picking community to use AI photo analysis for easy and consistent data collection.
In Nice, mayor Anne Hidalgo — for the first time — publicly expressed strong support for a deposit-return system, soon followed by the mayor of Nice. The expedition drew wide national media attention and stimulated new collaborations between municipalities, campaigns and citizens in France.
London–Paris Expedition 2024
In 2024, Tinga continued from London, windsurfing across the English Channel and paddling up the Seine. Two weeks before the Olympic Games, he was welcomed by Anne Hidalgo, with whom he organized a major conference at the Hôtel de Ville. All relevant French stakeholders were present. The meetings resulted in the creation of a working group on deposit-return, with eco-adventurer Arthur Germain as ambassador.
Oslo–London Surf Expedition 2023
The expedition series began in 2023, when Tinga windsurfed 1800 km from Oslo to London on a self-built surfboard made from recycled and organic materials — including littered bottles from the River Thames. Alongside major UK NGOs, he delivered a joint call for a deposit system to the UK environment minister. The action received broad media coverage, including an item on BBC’s 8 p.m. news broadcast.
Next Steps
In May 2026, Tinga will continue his mission during the Nice–Rome Expedition: windsurfing 1000 km along the Mediterranean coast and paddling up the Tiber into Rome. His goals remain unchanged: highlight the power of deposit-return systems, gather local data using AI tools, and share Dutch lobbying experience with Italian campaigns and policymakers.
Because real change begins with action — and deposit systems work.
