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© Knud Olsen Egede / Royal Greenland

Greenland launches two “Plastic in a Bottle” capsules to track marine plastic pollution

November 28, 2025
Plastics in the ArcticMonitoringOceanPollutantsThe Kingdom of DenmarkProtection of the Arctic Marine Environment
The GPS-equipped capsules are part of a large-scale project by the PAME Working Group that tracks how plastic pollution travels in the Arctic marine environment

Two new “Plastic in a Bottle” capsules are being launched off the coast of Greenland to simulate how marine litter and plastics can travel through the Arctic marine environment. The effort is the latest from the Plastic in a Bottle project by the Arctic Council’s Working Group on the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME). To date, 10 GPS-equipped capsules have been launched.

The capsules in Greenland are being launched from two Royal Greenland trawlers, Avatoq and Kaassassuk. One capsule was launched in the northern part of Baffin Bay, and the other from the southern part of Baffin Bay. Children from a local primary school in Nuuk, together with students from the local high school in Sisimiut, participated in the project, sending the capsules on their journey with greeting messages written on the capsules.


© Knud Olsen Egede / Royal Greenland

“Marine litter, including microplastics, is an important focus area for the Kingdom of Denmark’s Arctic Council Chairship,” said Kenneth Høegh, Chair of the Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials. “Plastic does not belong in the ocean, and this project shines a light on the problem. I am therefore pleased that the Kingdom of Denmark is taking part in the Plastic in a Bottle project in such a tangible way. I look forward to tracking the capsules’ onward journey.”

The capsules are equipped with a GPS transmitter that sends a signal every day, allowing PAME, researchers and the public to track the capsules’ journeys in real time through a live map. When the capsules eventually wash ashore, a message inside will instruct the finder on what to do and whom to contact.

Kenneth Høegh, Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials, with the capsule
© Najannguaq Hegelund / Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Research, Greenland

The capsule launches in Greenland were organized by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, Aarhus University, the Government of Greenland and the NGO Oceans North Kalaallit Nunaat, in collaboration with PAME and Royal Greenland, which financed one of the capsules.

Learn more about the Plastic in a Bottle project and the capsules that have been launched.

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