Plastron

PLASTRON aims to improve the sustainability of communities at the local level by providing knowledge and tools to promote the transition to a circular and resource-efficient economy, in accordance with Green Deal policies and European actions to achieve climate neutrality and the protection of marine habitats. 

Key project results:  

Through the implementation of small investments in plastic collection from the coast, marinas and at sea, joint protocols will be developed to improve management and integration with the waste cycle. Experimental studies of circular economy will be carried out with actions aimed at the recovery and reuse of solid waste from the supply chains in the territories involved, giving priority to the recovery of fishing nets and materials that pose a threat to marine fauna. These actions will be used to propose a sustainable economic model based on the reuse of waste at zero km and local level in the form of secondary raw materials and new materials that can be reintroduced into the production cycle through additive manufacturing.  

MEDSEA as a partner will have as main task to promote the communication of the project activities and dissemination among local public and private stakeholders, also beyond the project eligibility area through the use of the project website and social media, the organisation of information and communication events and the involvement of local populations, including schools, local enterprises and trade associations, FabLabs and local innovators and other local administrations that might be interested in replicating the project results. The MEDSEA Foundation, through the skills and expertise developed in numerous projects in the Mediterranean area, will also:  

a) co-ordinate the development of guidelines to support the collection of plastic waste from marine and coastal ecosystems, from the seabed. The guidelines will be addressed to both local authorities and citizens' organisations that intend to carry out these activities in full respect of regulations and the biodiversity of ecosystems;  

b) organise a clean-up involving the project areas and the various ecosystems involved; 

c) support the identification of waste cellulosic materials or by-products of local production activities that can be used for the production of new materials and create guidelines for the valorisation of local circular economy supply chains; 

d) the MEDSEA foundation, thanks to the skills it has developed, will have the role within the project of transforming the new material into products of public utility for the pilot sites (e.g. by developing street furniture objects);  

e) to promote a methodology for reducing the use of plastic and disposable plastic in local tourism activities and to test it in 20 activities that will be specially selected in the project pilot sites. 

Pilot Sites 

• Town of Stintino/ Sardinia - Italy 
• City of Ile Rousse/ Corsica - France
• Genoa/ Liguria - Italy
• Viareggio/ Tuscany - Italy 

Partners 

• Confservizi Cispel Toscana (lead partner),  
• Municipality of Stintino 
• University of Genoa, 
• City of Île Rousse, 
• Mediterranean Sea and Coast Foundation (MEDSEA), 
• Université de la Côte d'Azur, 
• Agenzia Regionale Recupero Risorse (ARRR). 

Total project budget: €1.834.648,55  

MEDSEA budget: 199.285,60 €.  

Programme: Interreg Maritime Italy - France 

Project duration: March 2024 - March 2026 

MEDSEA Team: Mattia Soi, Moreno Pisano, Davide Porta, Andrea Alvito, Paola Riviezzo 

Project coordinator: Vania Statzu   

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