Public awareness on plastic pollution in the Mediterranean

Public awareness on plastic pollution in the Mediterranean is critical because awareness is the first step to reduce plastic pollution. Therefor BarcelonaSail organizes free plastic fishing events, plastic awareness presentations, plastic regattas and online plastic mission impossible game and even a 30-day plastic challenge.

Plastic waste accounts for 95% of the waste in the Mediterranean.

WWF 2018

Our awareness programs focus on recollection and reuse of plastic. Because plastic collection avoids plastic getting into the sea. Which saves turtles and dolphins.

The two largest contributors of plastic pollution in the Mediterranean are Spain and Turkey.

WWF 2018

Plastic recollection in Europe

In most European countries plastic collection increased over the last decade. However in Spain plastic collection decreased in the last 10 years. Mainly because of the lack of governmental awareness and educational efforts combined with lax environmental regulation.

Europe effectively collects less than 50% of the consumed plastic. The good news is that plastic collection can be very efficient. In Norway plastic bottles are recollected at a rate of 97% by a company called Infinitum.

In Norway plastic bottles are recollected at a rate of 97%

Infinitum

In the year 2016, Germany collected 40% of the consumed plastic, compared to France that collected 69% of the consumed plastic in the same year, see list below: all countries source (1) except UK source (2).

• Germany 40%
• Italy 47%
• France 69%
• Spain 58%
• UK 50% (2)
• Poland 51%
  • (1) Source PlasticsEurope Market Research Group (PEMRG) and Conversio Market & Strategy GmbHoland.
  • (2) Source A plastic future WWF, prepared by EUNOMIA March 2018. Update September 2019 this number is incorrect, recycling in the UK is less than 50%.

Plastic industry involved

There is a clear task for the public and private sector to create awareness and educational programs to increase the plastic collection in other countries. Last week, Sophi Guillin, CEO of Groupe Guillin, sent a 2 page letter to share holders on plastic pollution and reuse of plastics in the light of the new European regulations.

Awareness on plastic pollution in the Mediterranean is in the interest of the plastic industry, environmental movements and governments to reduce the impact of plastics.

Plastic collection in Europe is a 400 billion euro business and provides direct employment to 1,5 million Europeans. Plastic is a very cheap and versatile product we cannot replace easily.

BarcelonaSail plastic programs

BarcelonaSail continues its plastic pollution awareness program on board of our sail boats through free plastic fishing events. This is a fantastic event but reaches a small group. To reach out to a much larger audience BarcelonaSail developed an interactive event for 5000 people. This event will be launched in Oslo early next year and will be repeated in every European capital.

Creating public awareness on plastic pollution is the first step in reducing plastic pollution. Only with awareness we change the minds of people, collecting and reducing single-use plastic on a daily basis. Through our informative plastic blog posts and the the BarcelonaSail awareness events people will actively be part of a new era using and deposing plastic in away that embraces nature.