«On Italian beaches 783 waste every 100 meters. And 84% are made of plastic »- Corriere.it

by time news

On our beaches there is an average of 783 waste every 100 linear meters (plastic in 84% of cases), a number that far exceeds the threshold value or the reference target established at European level to consider a beach in good environmental condition (less than 20 beached litter per 100 linear meters of coastline) . Among these wastes, then, are also frequently found disposable gloves and masks (on more than two out of three beaches). These are some of the data that emerge from the survey Beach Litter 2021, created by Legambiente on 47 beaches in 13 regions (Abruzzo, Basilicata, Tuscany, Calabria, Campania, Emilia Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Marche, Puglia, Sardinia, Sicily, Veneto). To be surveyed were 36,821 waste in a total area of ​​176,100 square meters: we are talking about packaging, linked to the consumption of food and smoking waste; of plastic bottles, containers and caps; but also of cigarette butts, rubble, glass fragments, without forgetting gloves and masks(here we told the provocative initiative to make the island of plastic become the 196th state recognized).

The “new waste” of the pandemic

Disposable gloves and surgical masks are also disposed of incorrectly and end up on our beaches. As the report highlights, in fact, disposable gloves, masks or other objects attributable to the Covid-19 health emergency were found on 72% of the beaches monitored. In particular masks were found on 68% of the monitored beaches, gloves on 26%(here the in-depth analysis «A sea of ​​waste», the data of the first sampling on our beaches of Ippr, Legambiente and Enea, relative to 2017).


The infographic created by Legambiente with data from 2021


Plastic accounts for 84% of waste

The plastic remains the most common material to be abandoned: it represents – in fact – 84% of the waste that invades the sand, followed by glass / ceramic (4.5%), metal (3.2%) and paper / cardboard (2.9%), rubber and textiles ( both 1.4%), treated or processed wood (1.3%). The remaining 1% is made up of materials related to Covid-19, bioplastics, objects in mixed materials, food waste and chemical / synthetic products. “We ask that Italy issue by 3 July 2021 the legislative decree transposing the European directive designed to ban and reduce the production and marketing of some products of disposable plastic throughout the national territory. Let’s not repeat the same mistake we made with yet another extension of the plastic tax, ”he said Giorgio Zampetti, general manager of Legambiente. The investigation Beach Litter – explains Serena Carpentieri, deputy director of Legambiente – represents «one of the greatest experiences of citizen science at an international level thanks to the commitment of the volunteers of Legambiente».

The three days of Clean Beaches and Seabed

Capratica beach in Fondi, in the province of Latina
Capratica beach in Fondi, in the province of Latina

To raise awareness on the issue of respect for the environment, Legambiente invites you to participate in the new edition of Clean Beaches and Seabeds, the volunteer campaign (May 14-16). The slogan chosen for this year? “Do your part too: to counteract the presence of waste that you see on the beaches and that ends up in the sea, your every daily choice is important and can make a difference”. Over 60 le initiatives planned in 15 Italian regions, all organized in full compliance with anti-Covid regulations (and available on the Legambiente website), and which will have volunteers of all ages as protagonists. From the cleaning of the Lazio beaches (such as those scheduled for Saturday in Capocotta, on the beach located under the regional reserve of Tor Caldara di Anzio and Sunday in Castel Gandolfo) passing through the Tuscan ones (cleaning on Sunday in San Vincenzo and Marina di Cecina) and Lucan (double appointment on Saturday and Sunday in Maratea and Policoro). And then initiatives also in Puglia (Saturday along the shores of Bari and Trani), Liguria (Saturday in Genova Nervi) and in Veneto (Saturday in Rosolina Mare), and in some regions the cleaning activities will also continue in the following weekends.

May 12, 2021 (change May 12, 2021 | 17:06)

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