0Plastic Menorca celebrates World Cleanup Day by collecting 315 kilos of plastic

0Plastic Menorca celebrates World Cleanup Day by collecting 315 kilos of plastic and premiering a documentary on its 5th environmental expedition

0 Plastic Menorca, a non-profit organisation and member of our Plastic Free Menorca Alliance, has carried out its 5th environmental expedition from 20th to 23rd September 2024 in the framework of World Cleanup Day, a global initiative of the United Nations to raise awareness about plastic pollution.

During the days, in which volunteers from Menorca and other European locations participated, various awareness-raising activities took place, including the premiere of the documentary 0Plastic during the Ocean Film Festival, plastic and microplastic collections by sea and land, Beach Talks given by top-level speakers such as Silvia Díaz Cruz, Environmental Scientist IDAEA-CSIC and Aina Blanco-Magadán, environmentalist from OBSAM-IME. The aim is to encourage a change in consumer habits to contribute to the conservation of a plastic-free Mediterranean.

The actions follow 4 previous expeditions, which totaled more than 200 participants including residents and responsible travellers from all over Europe, 20,000 microplastics and more than 1500 kgs of plastic collected. The event began with an art exhibition held at the Hotel Artiem Carlos with plastics and fishing nets collected from the sea by environmental activist Naroa Carvajal Prado and the circular economy project PescArt Menorca where artisans and artists such as Júlia Triay from Artspai, Magda Triay, master shoemaker Dino and Yolanda López from Yotangle were represented.

The conference counted on the collaboration of organisations committed to plastic reduction such as Menorca Preservation, which has been supporting the project since its origins, the Artiem Hotels group, which has actively collaborated from the beginning by promoting responsible tourism, Merak Diving and Isas Menorca, which have embarked the team of volunteers during the expedition, and Menorca Lines, which has joined in raising awareness through audiovisual content on its routes between Menorca and Mallorca, as well as other people and organisations such as: Menorca Experimental, Ajuntament de Sant Lluís, Restaurant Sa Punta, Bar Paupa, Es Cranc Pelut, Es Cranc, Grahame Pearce, Yoga and others, Ocean52, Arena Neta, Menorca Republic, PescArt Menorca , OBSAM-IME , Autos Menorca, Menorca Mar & Charter, Xavi Marques, Arnau Cloquells and Ocean Film Spain.

Although much of the plastic collected is difficult to recycle due to its toxicity, some of the less deteriorated waste such as bottle caps, lighters, fishing nets and even solidified oil, together with microplastics, will be reused as an awareness-raising tool by artists, local artisans and projects such as PescArt Menorca and 44 Caras.