SCP/RAC kicks-off a pilot action in the Natural Park of Ebre Delta to combat marine plastic pollution from single-use plastics

SCP/RAC is proud to announce that recently the pilot action aiming to tackle marine plastic pollution from single-use plastics in the Natural Park of the Ebre Delta, in Catalonia, kicked-off. The action is implemented by the management body of the Park in close collaboration with the Catalan Waste Agency and SCP/RAC, within the framework of the Plastic Busters MPAs project. 

The pilot action focuses on the establishment of a reusable cup deposit scheme. How does the scheme work? Customers have to pay a deposit when ordering their drink from a local beach bar. They can get the deposit back when they return the reusable cup to any of the beach bars and beverage outlets that have joined voluntarily the scheme. To-date, the reusable cup -with the distinctive moto “For a clean Delta”- has been produced and distributed to beach bars and other related businesses that sell drinks during local festivals. All reusable cups will be collected after their use and will be washed in industrial dishwashers, with all sanitary requirements, so that they can be reused. The new cups will be available at the beach bars from July 29, 2021, the date of the official launch of the pilot action; the announcement of the launching will be made at the Ebre Delta Ecomuseum by the director of the Catalan Waste Agency Isaac Peraire, the director of the SCP/RAC Enrique de Villamore, and the director of the Natural Park of the Ebro Delta Francesc Vidal.

The reusable cup related pilot action was identified as a priority action for the Park within the framework of the Interreg Med ACT4LITTER project and was included in the Marine Litter Action Plan of the Park. Its impact is expected to be very high; on the one hand it will substantially improve the environmental status and the attractiveness of the Park’s beaches and, on the other hand it will act as an effective vehicle for raising public awareness on the issue of marine plastic pollution and how to address it.

The success of the action is ensured as in addition to the involvement of the highly skilled staff of the Park, the seven town councils of the Ebre Delta are supporting the initiative together with a large number of beach bar owners.

The press was present and many articles echoed the initiative (in Spanish and catalan):

• "Una prova pilot vol reduir els gots de plàstics d’un sol ús al Delta de l’Ebre" https://bit.ly/3fbZhcq

• "El Parque Natural del Delta del Ebro contra los plásticos desechables" https://bit.ly/3rL2rsY
• "Prova pilot al Delta per reduir plàstics d’un sol ús " https://bit.ly/3zJUPJU
• "Les guinguetes del Parc Natural del Delta de l'Ebre substitueixen per gots reutilitzables els d'un sol ús" https://bit.ly/3ldyHDN
• "La iniciativa per al medi ambient a les guinguetes del Parc Natural del Delta de l'Ebre" https://bit.ly/3j8xmeA
• "Los chiringuitos del Delta del Ebro sustituyen por vasos reutilizables los de un solo uso" https://bit.ly/2WtG7Z2

• Nota de premsa https://bit.ly/3xiPiYV

Read more about the demo in our "Plastic Busters demos on measures" section 

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