PRESS RELEASE

28July 2009

ProjectKaisei Joins Forces with the Bureau of International Recycling

TheBureau of International Recycling Commits to Help Fund

ProjectKaisei’s First Expedition to the Northern Pacific Gyre

SanFrancisco, Hong Kong and Brussels, July 28, 2009 -Project Kaisei is pleased to announce that the Bureau ofInternational Recycling (BIR),the international federation of recycling industries, is nowofficially a sponsor of Kaisei’s two-boat expedition to assess theimpact of and techniques for removing marine debris in the PacificOcean. The Brussels-based Bureau of International Recycling hascommitted a major amount to the mission, making it one of the twoprincipal sponsors of Project Kaisei.

“Weare veryexcited tobe supportingProject Kaisei’s first research expedition to the North PacificGyre,” said DominiqueMaguin, BIR President. “The Project Kaisei team has ambitiousplans, which are fully in line with BIR’s mission to increaserecycling and recyclability. Our members across the globe areproviding industry with nearly 50% of the raw materials needed, andwe can still increase this figure. The collection of waste can beimproved and the recycling activities are indispensible for savingenergy, gas emissions and natural resources. It is of paramountimportance to leave a safe, clean and welcoming planet for futuregenerations. Project Kaisei representsan innovative constructive approach to addressing a problem thatwould not be there if recycling had been promoted and implemented byall nations. Webelieve that by collaborating together it will bring benefits to bothof our organizations, as well as for the whole planet.”

ProjectKaisei isa group of scientists and ocean lovers who set up to study the NorthPacific Gyre and the plastic debris that has collected in thisoceanic region, to determine how to capture it and to study possibleprocessing techniques that would allow the recycling of capturedmaterials into diesel fuel. The project’s first researchexpedition, comprising two boats, will set sail on August 2^ndand 3^rdfrom San Diego and San Francisco.

“Weare very fortunate to have garnered the financial support of BIR andwe are delighted that they have become one of our main sponsors,”said Doug Woodring, Project Kaisei’s Co-Founder and ProjectDirector. “Together with the scientific endorsement and ongoingcollaboration of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, BIR’ssponsorship provides us with the necessary resources to carry out ourmission this summer. We hope to be able to come back with answers tothe many questions surrounding the large volumes of waste in theocean, the damage it causes to the ocean ecosystem and the ways tofight it.”

AboutThe Bureau of International Recycling

BIR isthe international trade association of the recycling industries basedin Brussels, Belgium. Around 70 countries are represented throughnational trade associations and individual companies involved inrecycling. BIR comprises four commodity divisions: iron and steel,non ferrous metals, paper and textiles, and has committees dealingwith stainless steel and special alloys, plastics and rubber. BIR’sprimary goals are to promote recycling and recyclability, therebyconserving natural resources, protecting the environment andfacilitating free trade of secondary raw materials.

In arecent study carried out by the Imperial College of London on behalfof BIR, it was established that through the recycling of seven metalsplus recovered paper CO2 emissions are reduced by about 500 milliontonnes per annum, which is equivalent to approaching 2% of globalfossil fuel emissions.

AboutProject Kaisei

ProjectKaisei consists of a team of innovators, scientists,environmentalists, ocean lovers, sailors, and sports enthusiasts whohave come together with a common purpose: to study the North PacificGyre and the marine debris that has collected in this oceanic region,to determine how to capture the debris and to study the possibleretrieval and processing techniques that could be potentiallyemployed to detoxify and recycle these materials into diesel fuel.

ProjectKaisei is organized under the Ocean Voyages Institute, which is anon-profit organization devoted to the preservation of the MaritimeArts and Arts and Sciences and the Ocean Environment. Ocean VoyagesInstitute is a “501 C 3” California Registered non-profitorganization.

Formore information, to donate, and to pre-register to follow theexpedition in real-time with the ‘Project Kaisei Interactive VoyageTracker’ please visit: http://www.projectkaisei.org/ 

Formedia inquiries, please contact:

CameliaC. Checeanu Pete Hillan
Office:+ 1 415 318 4101 Office: +1 415 318 4111
Cell:+ 1 949 413 6695 

Fleishman-Hillard