Presentation of the project "Plastic Busters" in Siena

The project "Plastic Busters for a Mediterranean free from litter" is an initiative financed by GIZ (German cooperation) and led by the University of Siena, being UNEP/MAP along with MEDPOL a consortium member, among other partners. On April 15th 2016 there was the presentation of the project with different stakeholders at the University of Siena (Italy).

Mr. Gaetano Leone, UNEP/MAP coordinator, attended the presentation. The meeting was devoted to the consolidation, lobbying and enforcing between the network of Plastic Busters consortium members and interaction with stakeholders and potential donors.

From left to right: Ms. Cristina Fossi (University of Siena), Mr. Holger Kuhle (UN-SDSN/GIZ), Mr. Gaetano Leone (UNEP/MAP) and Ms. Alessandra Sensi (Union for the Mediterranean)

Some of the expected results of the project Plastic Busters are:

• A comprehensive assessment of the status of implementation of the Regional Plan on Marine Litter of the Barcelona Convention at national, sub-regional and regional level.
• A package of updated measures to fully tackle marine litter towards a litter free Mediterranean
• At least 10 demonstration projects showcasing prevention and mitigation actions.
• A hotspot analysis/mapping of marine litter accumulation areas in the Mediterranean.

Frederic Gallo, senior expert of SCP/RAC, presented 2 projects on marine litter in which SCP/RAC is currently involved, in order to bring on the table potencial elements of synergy between the projects.

One project is the EU-UNEP/MAP “Marine Litter-MED”, a project which has been recently approved (April 2016), for the period 2016-2019. “Marine Litter-MED” aims to support the Contracting Parties from Southern Mediterranean to implement the Regional Plan on Marine Litter endorsed by the Barcelona Convention. SCP/RAC has designed, together with MEDPOL, the activities related with sustainable consumption and production (SCP), which are the following:

•  To undertake an assessment of national regulatory frameworks in some countries and develop where appropriate the required legal and regulatory framework to introduce the non-single use of plastic bags and EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) for plastic bags.
• To organize national meetings to raise awareness on prevention of ML and the need to promote EPR with regards to plastic and microplastic production and consumption as well as circular economy.
•  To organize a regional/subregional workshop to share best practices addressing EPR and non-single use of plastic bags based on Mediterranean experiences.
•  Specific Guidelines and training material to prevent the generation of plastics and wastes ending up as ML.

The other project is "ACT4LITTER". The project is still pending of approval by the EU INTERREG MED Programme and aims to desingn measures to preserve natural ecosystems from marine litter in the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

The main activities designed by the organizing partners- SCP/RAC, IAT (Instituto Andaluz de Tecnologia), Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies (Pisa), the network of MPAs MEDPAN, and the NGO MIOECSDE- are: 

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