Working towards UN Sustainability Goals and Tackling Climate Change

Help us Stop Plastic Pollution

Every minute, a garbage truck’s worth of plastic enters our oceans—an estimated 2.4 to 12 million metric tons annually. Healthy Earth is tackling this through education and deployment of advanced litter capture devices across major ASEAN rivers.

Sources: Science Advances, Nature Communications

Tackling Pollution

Studies show Asia contributes 86% of the total global plastic pollution through its rivers. The UN Plastics Treaty and educating people to “turn off the tap” of plastic pollution is the long-term solution. This will take many years, and we must stop plastic pollution now.
Healthy Earth combines research, plastic capture and education to tackle the problem. Our advanced approaches and litter capture device funnel plastic waste, from the riverbed to the surface to the bank for removal and recycling, without disrupting fish or boat traffic.

Meet the team

Steve and Liam led the initiative. They are supported by a team of trustees and local project members.

Co-Founder, Healthy Earth

Dr. Steve Allen

Environmental Scientist & Public Health Advocate

With a passion for protecting both people and the planet, I've dedicated my career to understanding the intricate relationships between environmental pollutants, public health, and policy. My research has taken me from the Tibetan Plateau to the Arctic, and from Vietnam to Botswana, fostering a unique understanding of global environmental health challenges.

Key Expertise:

Atmospheric Microplastic Transport and Ocean-Atmosphere Exchange Mechanisms
Collaborative Research with medical experts to investigate links between plastic exposure and non-communicable diseases
International Project Leadership and Sustainable Organization Development for science-based environmental solutions

Inspiration Behind Healthy Earth:

Growing up in Malaysia and working in Vietnam, I witnessed firsthand the impact of environmental health challenges on communities. As a lifelong sailor and captain with 35,000 nautical miles of experience, I've seen the beauty and fragility of our planet. This sparked my desire to co-found Healthy Earth, an NGO committed to science-based environmental solutions. I'm proud to lead this effort, driven by a vision of a healthier, more sustainable world for all.

Why I'm Committed to Healthy Earth:

As a scientist, I believe that knowledge must be translated into action. At Healthy Earth, I'm dedicated to bridging the gap between scientific discovery and public health protection, ensuring that our research informs effective policy and tangible positive change.

Our Work

Our initiative is dedicated to mapping the scale of plastic pollution in rivers across Vietnam and conducting comprehensive microplastic studies worldwide. We aim to understand the sources and distribution of plastic waste, focusing on the critical impact of microplastics on ecosystems and human health.

A cornerstone of our mission is education, emphasizing the importance of effective waste management and raising awareness about the detrimental effects of plastic pollution.

Through collaboration with local communities, researchers, and global partners, we seek to drive meaningful change and promote sustainable practices to protect our planet.