The Mediterranean Sea has become highly polluted and marine litter has recently been confirmed as a critical issue (UNEP/MAP, 2015). Med is defined as one of the most impacted areas by marine litter world-wide. Despite some uncertainties and knowledge gaps on exact quantities, fate and biotic impacts, current evidence is more than sufficient to highlight the urgent need to implement mitigation measures across the entire basin (UNEP/MAP, 2015). Such a need has been widely recognized, in the Regional Plan on Marine Litter Management of Barcelona Convention (2013).
Plastic Busters is the first project at basin scale that binds the Southern and Northern Mediterranean countries on the issue of Marine Litter under the umbrella of UNEP/MAP and UfM, with 10 countries already involved in the project and 12 countries endorsing the project. The project was presented to the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and labelled by the 43 UfM Member countries at the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) on February 2016.
Progress reports
By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
Type of commitment
PLASTICS
- Other (please specify): Monitoring and prevent risk of marine litter in the Mediterranean Sea
July 2019
To address for the first time the main information gaps with regards to marine litter at a Mediterranean scale applying a unique harmonized methodology
July 2020
To develop and coordinate the implementation of specific demonstration projects showcasing actions to prevent, reduce and remove marine litter based on the measures provided by the Regional Plan (Art. 9 and 10)
June 2017
Second Plastic Busters meeting (Siena –Italy)- Networking among Southern and Northern Mediterranean countries on the issue of Marine Litter
Staff / Technical expertise
Research activities
In-kind contribution
Research vessel for survey
Basic information
Time-frame: June 2017 - July 2020
Partners
University of Siena (Academic institution), ISPRA, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Laboratory of Ichthyology and Marine Ecology (Government) (IT) , UNEP/MAP (United nations entity) MIO-ECSDE, Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (NGO)
IFREMER, Institut Franais de Recherche Pour L'Exploitation de la Mer (FR)(Academic Institutions)
SOCIB, Balearic Islands Coastal Ocean Observing and Forecasting System (ES) (scientific Community)
Biochemistry and Environmental Toxicology, Higher Institute of Agronomy, University of Sousse (TN)(Academic Institutions)
IWRS, Institute for Water of the Republic of Slovenia (SI)(Academic Institutions)
CNR, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Consorzio Lamma (IT) (Scientific Community)
HCMR, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (GR)(Academic Institutions)
ISOTECH (CY) (Private Sector); Consorzio Mediterraneo (IT) ( Private Sector)
ECNC Land & Sea Group (ES) (Private Sector)
University of Bologna (IT) (Academic Institutions)
FispMed ( partnership)
Ocean Basins
Beneficiary countries
Other beneficaries
Contact information
Teresa Romeo, Researcher , teresa.romeo@isprambiente.it,
Milazzo/ME, ITALY
Other SDGs
