Plastics

Take an Umbrella: opening the power of plastics chemicals research.

Read the story

Explore cutting edge research and insights into the impacts that plastics can have on human health.

Dr Christos Symenoides standing outside a commercial building on a CBD street. He is wearing glasses and looks determined and trustworthy.
Plastics
As seen on Four Corners: The health risks of plastic chemicals – and how we can change course.
A midshot of a yellow plastic duck with an orange beak floating on top of a bath full of white suds. The water below the suds is very blue.
Plastics
5 shocking ways phthalates in plastics are hijacking your hormones.
Plastics

Like an umbrella in your back pocket! The plastic health harms e-dashboard.

Updated Plastic Health Umbrella Review evidence is now at everyone’s fingertips.

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Plastics
Another piece of the plastics puzzle: how phthalates can affect brain development.
Plastics
Changing plastic for good

Minderoo Foundation is driving a global transition to safe and sustainable materials that replace and improve plastic.

Our focus areas and impact missions

We seek to uplift communities, support gender equality, protect natural ecosystems and respond to emerging threats and challenges.

Two young First Nations girls play with brightly coloured beads on bead mazes that are sitting on a pine table. In the background can be seen black safety fences, showing that this is in an early learning centre.

Communities

All children in Australia reach their full potential in thriving communities.

A mother and daughter pose smiling at the camera, with their faces close together. The mother has honey blonde hair and wears a sand coloured knitted jumper, the daughter has dark hair and is wearing a light blue buttoned shirt with a floral pattern.

Gender Equality

All people realise their inherent freedom and equality.

A New Holland Honeyeater, a small bird with black and white mottled body, a black head and white ear patch, and a large yellow wing patch and yellow sides on the tail. The bird sits on a a bright red, pink and yellow banksia flower. Another banksia flower and the serrated-edge, grey green foliage can be seen in the background.

Natural Ecosystems

Healthy ecosystems safeguarded for all generations.

An elderly woman holds her hand to her mouth, looking as though she might cry. She wears a light coloured jacket and has a grey and white striped scarf covering her hair. On either side of her are tall and thin yellow candles, on ornate brass plates. In the background are other men and women and arches of the cathedral.

Impact Missions

Agile response to existential threats and urgent challenges.

Read our strategy to forge a fair future

Our vision

A society that values all people and natural ecosystems.

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Our impact and reach

We maximise our impact by focusing on our beneficiaries, consistent geographies and key stakeholders.

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Our role

We back those who are closest to the problems we seek to solve.

Partner

Support partners using the full spectrum of funding solutions, from grants to impact investing, to create, accelerate and scale measurable impact.

Advocate

Affect system change at scale by shifting the expectations of decision-makers to act on our chosen issues by enhancing advocacy capacity and shifting attitudes, norms, mindsets and behaviours to support critical policy reform.

Develop

Collaborate with partners, communities and beneficiaries to develop, test, refine and de-risk solutions, sharing learnings to help others scale-up and adapt to local contexts.

Generate evidence

Generate, connect and leverage evidence to drive change, fuel advocacy, guide decisions and amplify our collective impact.

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Our stories of impact

Read the latest stories, research and interviews from across Minderoo Foundation and our partners.

Explore more stories
A screenshot of a table called "Plastic Chemical Evidence Grid" set at a slight angle. The subheading says "A synthesis of findings on chemical groups and health". The table headings are Outcome, Bisphenols, Phthalates, PCBs. The grid shows that there is at lease one significant harmful health outcome for each of the 3 chemical groups listed.
Plastics
Like an umbrella in your back pocket! The plastic health harms e-dashboard.
A close up of several pairs of hands weaving natural plant fibres, in a loose circle over a traditional First Nations dot painting with vibrant red, blue, white, yellow and black colouts.
Communities
6 ways we’re connecting regional WA through art, culture and creativity.

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Latest media releases

05 Aug 2025

Minderoo Foundation and Benjamin Von Wong unite to deliver a powerful message at Global Plastics Treaty negotiations

As delegates gather in Geneva for the resumed fifth session of negotiations toward a Global Plastics Treaty (INC-5.2), Minderoo Foundation has partnered with internationally acclaimed environmental artist Benjamin Von Wong to unveil a striking public installation that underscores the urgency of global action on plastic pollution.

05 Aug 2025

Minderoo welcomes the elevation of plastic as a threat to humanity alongside climate change

One of the world’s most prestigious and oldest peer-reviewed medical journals, The Lancet, has launched a global monitoring system for the impact of plastics on human health.

29 Jul 2025

Uncovering the mysteries of the sea – meet the groundbreaking new OceanOmics dashboard

Groundbreaking technology developed by Minderoo Foundation combining Artificial Intelligence and environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling is set to revolutionise the way marine scientists monitor and protect the health of our oceans and study the life and mysteries they hold.