The international conference "Waste in the Sea - Challenges and Solutions" was held in Split recently. The conference, which brought together many domestic and foreign experts, representatives of state institutions, activists and other interested parties, warned of the increasing number of pollutants in the Adriatic Sea, and especially plastics, reports HRTurizam on July 22, 2017.
A national campaign against sea waste, which was conducted by the office of European Parliamentarian Škrleca during June and July, also recently came to an end. The campaign was driven by the fact that Croatia has not yet developed a model of monitoring and disposing of waste in the sea. Since the sea is an incredibly valuable resource for the Croatian economy, the campaign's aim was to raise citizens’ and tourists' awareness of the problem and point to the need to establish an efficient and sustainable model for waste management in the Adriatic.
The Ponikve eco-island of Krk has already created a concrete solution for the issue through the project "Blue Bag" (Plava Vreća).
At the conference, many participants spoke about their experiences and the programs they wished to create to prevent and help solve the problem of marine debris in Croatia. In this context, Ponikve presented their Blue Bag project, which was addressed by Dejan Kosić, the technical director of the company.
Blue Bag is one of many environmental projects that Ponikve has implemented on the island of Krk over the years. This project, in particular, is an environmental and tourism program designed for sailors, tourists and all lovers of nature who encourage a clean coast. The first blue bags on the Croatian coast appeared on the island of Krk, further proving the people of Krk are once again the leaders of many innovative actions that promote ecological awareness, environmental preservation and sustainable development.
"The aim of the ‘Blue Bag’ project is to get every sailor to collect at least one bag of waste during the season. Tourists, as well as the locals, will thus be provided with clean beaches where they can spend their summer days while we show them our ecological awareness and environmental care. Many ‘green’ projects and energy-efficient solutions inspire Krka's keen interest, but so do our guests. ‘DISCOVER AN ECO LIFESTYLE ON THE ISLAND OF KRK’ is a call that gives tourists a clear idea of the island they are spending their vacation on, and all of this is part of the overall strategy that wishes to make the island of Krk truly unique in the Mediterranean,” emphasized Is Kosić.
The current situation is more than alarming, and it is said that as much as 8 million tons of plastic end in the oceans and seas each year. Marine debris is one of the fastest growing threats with great environmental and economic consequences. Particularly alarming is the fact that 94 percent of this waste ends up at the bottom of the sea and is not visible nor can it be retrieved. Furthermore, each year, around 8 million tonnes of plastic in our oceans and seas represents the greatest threat to marine life, the environment, and human health. Did you know that after disintegration, plastic waste becomes part of the food chain of the most diverse marine organisms? These facts have not been spared, even in the Mediterranean, where as much as 80 percent of the total waste is precisely microplastic that comes into the feed chain.
Furthermore, each year, around 8 million tonnes of plastic in our oceans and seas represents the greatest threat to marine life, the environment, and human health. Did you know that after disintegration, plastic waste becomes part of the food chain of the most diverse marine organisms? These facts have not been spared, even in the Mediterranean, where as much as 80 percent of the total waste is precisely microplastic that comes into the feed chain.
Since 80 percent of waste from the sea comes from the beaches and shores (and the remaining 20 percent from ships in maritime transport and fishing), it is extremely necessary to implement preventive programs and actions, such as the Blue Bag project.
You can read more about the project here.
Translated from HRTurizam
