INNOPLASTIC-SeaClear2.0’s World Cleanup Day Event in Venice
On September 16th, 2023, the Venice Lagoon witnessed a remarkable display of environmental dedication as Venice Lagoon Free Plastic, in the framework of the INNOPLASTIC Horizon2020 project in cooperation with the new HEurope SeaClear2.0, organized a cleanup event, registered among the official events of the World Cleanup Day.
The effort saw the participation of more than 30 participants, among them volunteers of VLPF and the local association Poseidone in cooperation with Poste Italiane.
The participants cleaned up two main areas: Sacca San Mattia on the island of Murano in Venice and the Forest of Mestre, on the mainland.
The former has become a wild dump site for the local residents, also populated with wretched boats that VLPF intend to dispose of and recycle in the following months. The latter is all covered with mulching films that is slowly degrading, contaminating the whole area with microplastics.
On the occasion, VLPF made use of and tested for the first time the SeaClear2.0 app for social mobilisation and clean up.
With the following results: in Murano retrieved 275 kg of abandoned plastics and 426 of other wastes, among which 6 exhausted batteries that we managed to remove and deliver to the waste management authority of Venice (VERITAS). In the urban forest of Mestre, we took out 155 kg of mulching film, setting free the ground and all the trees rooted into it.
Although a drop in the ocean by acting in the frame of the World Clean up Day national and worldwide network, we were not alone. We joined forces with more than 19 million people in 195 Countries, restoring the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in our biosphere.
VLPF will use any opportunity of other clean-up events to fine-tune and improve the SeaClear 2.0 app as an educational and mobilising tool at the service of our work and services.