International Clean-up Campaign for World Environment Day
In the days following the international workshop, our second event was scheduled: the International Clean-up of Venice and its Lagoon (UNESCO World Heritage site). It was coordinated by Consortium member Venice Lagoon Plastic Free (VLPF), and is traditionally organised on 5th of June, when we celebrate World Environment Day.
This year’s activity was a bit different to previous editions – it was the first joint fieldwork and international clean-up organised between the InNoPlastic and MAELSTROM projects. Moreover, for the first time, more than 30 local associations took part in the event. Never before have so many organisations joined Venice for a single event dedicated to cleaning the lagoon and the mainland from plastic pollution!
VLPF arranged a clean-up in 12 different locations, from the historic city centre to the islands of Murano and Pellestrina, ports, inland parks and forests. Around 130 people accompanied us, not only from local associations but as well volunteers, local youth, students and stakeholders from the tourism, hospitality, transport and other sectors. Unfortunately, pandemic restrictions limited our activity, so there was no general gathering before or after the clean-up. It is necessary to mention that all activities were carried out using personal protection equipment, ensuring safety for all participants.
Our International Clean-up Campaign: How did it work?
We collected, by using a first experimental smart app set up by the Norwegian start-up Empower, around three tons of waste throughout the day, of which more than 1,500 kg were made of plastics. One part of this went to the facilities of GEES Recycling, a MAELSTROM project partner, for further analysis and mechanical recycling. The rest of the collected waste was composed of a wide variety of litter: fishing nets, food packaging, bottles, boat ropes, tires, along with chairs, shoes and pieces of luggage, confirming once more that our seas contain tremendous amounts of waste of all forms, shapes and origins. These were all brought to VERITAS facilities, the local and public-owned waste management company of Venice that played a crucial role in the clean-up by supplying gloves, bags, and other needed tools for safe and secure disposal of the picked litter for final treatment.
The full list of local associations that participated in the clean-up can be found here: Legambiente Venezia, Fare Verde, Generazione ’90, Live Venice, Jonix, Prontopia, Servizi Tecnici, FAI – delegazione di Venezia, Gees Recycling, Bosco e Grandi Parchi, Classic Boats Venice, Poseidone, Row Venice, La Salsola, I Barenanti, Polo Nautico Punta Sangiuliano, Circolovelico Casanova, Voga Veneta, Global Shapers Venice, Il Fiume, Cantieri Biasin, Associazione Brenta Sicuro, Marevivo, Canottieri Mestre, Sestante di Venezia, ASD Gloria Rogliani, SKAL Venezia, PC Chioggia, AVPSC Salzano, Canoa Club, Circolo Vela Mestre.
The clean-up exceeded our expectations, and we are overwhelmed with enthusiastic feedback provided by the local volunteers and clean-up teams. In addition, members of the InNoPlastic Consortium organised in parallel similar events in other locations by magnifying its international scope. These, in turn, increased the overall quantities of the collected plastics that feed the project’s circular solutions and enable us to test technologies developed within InNoPlastic.
This event will take place once again on the occasion of the World Clean-up Day in September.