Venice Hosts In-No-Plastic and MAELSTROM International Workshop
Last week saw the second edition of the In-No-Plastic and MAELSTROM International Workshop on the Removal of Marine Litter and the Circular Economy come to fruition after months of dedication and planning. Set within the luxurious walls of the International Boat Show, hosted by CNR-ISMAR and Venice Lagoon Plastic Free, the event was a marked success, bringing together project members, stakeholders, and marine experts from around the world.
Here’s a quick run-down of In-No-Plastic and MAELSTROM’s event, which took place as part of EU Green Week.
Introduction to the H2020 In-No-Plastic and MAELSTROM projects
The day began with short presentations from the representatives of each project, outlining their objectives, initiatives, and primary goals. As well as the two host projects, introduced by Fantina Madricardo and Salman Shahzad, the workshop saw the introduction of two other projects: H2020 SeaClear and Interreg Italo-Croatian MARLESS. Both of these projects are committed to combatting plastic pollution and saving our oceans.
SeaClear aims to fight plastic pollution on ocean- and riverbeds by creating autonomous litter collection robots; MARLESS focuses specifically on pollution in the Adriatic sea – one of the world’s most heavily polluted waters – carrying out monitoring activities and raising awareness in the local areas.
Marine Litter Monitoring and Removal Technologies
The second part of our International Workshop was centred around the development and design of innovative litter collection and removal technologies. Partners from all projects were invited to present their technology, allowing different companies and associations to form fundamental partnerships and help solve any potential issues together.
Examples of these litter removal and collection technologies came from The Great Bubble Barrier, Probotica, River Cleaning, Tecnalia, and more.
Circular Economy of Marine Litter
Chaired by Dr. Davide Poletto of Venice Lagoon Plastic Free, the final portion of In-No-Plastic and MAELSTROM’s international workshop was dedicated to the circular economy, and to ways in which marine litter can be reused and recycled to give it a new life. From the processes presented by chemical recycling company Sintol to more tangible products such as Caracol’s sustainable 3D printing and EMI’s fully recycled shoes and belts, the speakers at our international workshop are proof that a circular economy really is possible.
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