Bluefishers project prevents 35,000 polystyrene crates from being dumped at sea

They have prevented the dispersion of over 35,000 polystyrene crates into the sea in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The first six months of the Bluefishers project, promoted by the Marevivo association and financed by the Tuscany Environment Foundation, are recording positive results. The initiative, launched with the aim of replacing traditional polystyrene boxes with more sustainable polypropylene alternatives, has already had the effect of preventing the dispersion of over 35 thousand polystyrene boxes into the sea, according to the association.

Important numbers in the Italian fishing context: according to the Italian Association of Expanded Polystyrene (AIPE), Italy is the largest consumer of expanded polystyrene boxes for fishing in the EU with 14,000 tonnes of product used per year.

The Bluefishers project, also financed thanks to the support of Depeche Mode and Hublot through the Memento Mori Tour charity partnership, aims to combat this phenomenon by distributing reusable and recyclable polypropylene crates to fishermen in Viareggio. In the first six months, 2,320 boxes were distributed, each equipped with a microchip for tracking and sanitising, which significantly reduced the use of polystyrene boxes.

A project that may be small, FET declares a 21 thousand euro investment, but which is part of the broader framework of Marevivo's activities in raising awareness for reducing the use of plastic, which has led the association to become the promoter of Law 60 of 2022, known as the Save the Sea Law. A law that is still behind in its process, however, according to Rosalba Giugni, founder and president of Marevivo: "The law in question represents an effective and concrete tool, also called for by the European Union, but it lacks the enactment of the implementing decrees needed to start this virtuous process by putting a brake on the risks to the environment and human life".

An initial decree was issued in December, but 'the measure specifically provides for the implementation of structural interventions directly on watercourses to capture, remove, and manage floating plastic waste, campaigns organised with voluntary associations, and communication and awareness-raising initiatives on the subject, together with specific measures by the district basin authorities. It is worth emphasising that more than 80 per cent of the waste in the sea comes from rivers, and this is where we must start to protect the sea,' said Giugni in an interview with Arpat.