Line of action:

Marine ecosystems

Status:

Finalizado

Execution date:

2017

1. To reduce the amount of garbage present in the sea in the scope of the project.
2. To increase knowledge about the nature, characteristics and ecotoxicological impact of plastic waste contained in marine litter collected.
3. Identify, demonstrate and evaluate the possibilities of recovering plastic waste.
4. Transfer the experience to other coastlines.
5. Disseminate the results of the project.

The project has REPESCA_PLAS carried out working groups with the fishermen’s guilds of Vigo, Marín and Gandía in order to plan waste collections according to the type of fishing in each area. A total of 46 fishermen were trained to carry out these collections.

In Galicia, as they are trawlers, 1 m³ Big-Bag type bags have been implemented, while in Gandía, with smaller boats, distinctive bags have been used for each vessel. 3,040.34 kg of waste have been collected. The ten main objects that have been found have been: industrial packaging, bottles, bags, fishing objects, ropes, beverage cans, cables, clothing, other plastic objects and food containers. Of all of them, ecotoxicological tests of the materials were carried out. With the analysis of this waste and the search for its valuation, it has been concluded that it is not advisable to mix post-consumer plastics with those collected in the oceans in the sorting plants.

Regional Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development and Regional Secretariat of the Environment and Climate Change. Ministry of Agriculture, Environment, Climate Change and Rural Development (Generalitat Valenciana), Association of Owners of Fishing Vessels of Marín, Community of Fishermen El Palmar, Local Action Group La Safor, Local Action Group of the Pesqueiro Ría de Vigo sector -A Guarda, PlasticsEurope, AISBL, Spanish Association of Plastics Industrialists - ANAIP, CMplastik Recycling S.L, and Grupo JJ Chicolino