Press Release: Vassiliou pledges support for Jeremy Irons campaign against plastic waste

European Commissioner for Education and Culture Androulla Vassiliou met the Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons 7 March 2013 to discuss his recent film documentary, Trashed, which highlights the huge impact of global waste on the environment and human health.

Directed by British filmmaker Candida Brady, the documentary takes Irons on a shocking journey across the world to see how mounting toxic plastic waste is contaminating our landscapes and oceans, and posing a serious risk to the health of children and adults.

The Commissioner told Irons and Brady that she would encourage EU Education Ministers to screen the documentary at a future meeting. The filmmakers plan to make a shorter version for children. Commissioner Vassiliou said she would urge European Schoolnet, a network whose members are the education ministries of the EU Member States, EFTA countries, Switzerland, Turkey, Georgia and Israel, to help raise awareness about it.