“Plastivores” a cartoon on TED-Ed

We created the film “Plastivores”,, a continuation of our earlier film “The Plastic Vagabond” which explored micro plastic pollution in the oceans. “Plastivores” is an animated film produced and released by the educational platform TED-Ed in 2022.

The animation demonstrates that it is possible to create truly biodegradable plastic polymers thanks to extremophile bacteria—organisms capable of withstanding high temperatures and breaking down the molecular bonds in certain plastics.

Together with Tierney Thys who sadly passed away in february 2026, we developed the storyline and educational content, which were validated by TED-Ed. The platform then introduced us to Elsa Esteban, a talented graphic designer and animator based in Bristol.

Together, we brought to life Horsea, a small plastic seahorse figurine inspired by the main character of The Plastic Vagabond.This five-minute animation summarizes what we know about plastic production and pollution, as well as potential pathways for composting plastic. It has been viewed and discussed by over 500,000 people on the TED-Ed platform.