CLEANUPS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA

 

MEDSEA X Parley

 
 
 

The plastic waste we can easily see and retrieve from shorelines represents a small fraction of a much larger issue. Marine plastic pollution can be difficult to visualize, in part because much of the plastic waste and debris that enters the oceans sinks to the bottom. Underwater cleanups allow us to remove threats to the seabed and marine life that would otherwise go unnoticed.

Parley is collaborating with MEDSEA Foundation, who have built a strong network of passionate people working across 20 different islands and 9 different countries in the basin, in order to organize cleanups across the Mediterranean.

 
 
 
 

Mediterranean beaches are known for their remarkable beauty, a unique cultural heritage, and exceptional biodiversity. They attract millions of tourists every year, yet they are also fragile and very sensitive to human impacts and climate change. Unlike other regions, debris in Mediterranean beaches does not accumulate on the shore, therefore, cleanup efforts in the area include diving and paddle boarding teams that can intercept waste directly from the water.

During the summer of 2018 Parley supported cleanup events in Split, Croatia, with local partners, PAP/RAC and UPA Rostrum. Two tons of waste were removed in under two hours. The diving team found everything ranging from old tires, to a fridge, and even a motorbike underwater.

Since then, the collaboration with MEDSEA has continued to grow, and the summer of 2019 included a series of Corona X Parley cleanups in Sardinia, Italy. Attendance for the cleanups was one of the biggest with over 150 attendees, including free divers, divers, snorkelers, and kayaks.

 
 
 

 

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Pass the Microplastics: Pollution in Your Table Salt