The plastic pandemic has a group of regional heroines who are collecting samples to analyze and catalog microplastic residues circulating in Algarve waters.
The sea trips with the young women integrated in AIPAR (Association for the Protection of Girls and the Family) are being carried out under the “Sea of Microplastics” project, promoted by the AECO (Association for the Study and Conservation of the Oceans) in partnership with the group Ecology and restoration of riverine, estuarine and coastal habitats CCMar – UAlg (University of Algarve) and with the support of the CMVM (Commission de Mercado de Valores Mobiliários).
In addition to sampling times, conservation work is still being carried out, as macroplastics and other debris are collected in the marine environment during sea trips.
“In addition to contributing to the much-needed scientific research in this area, we want the debris collected with the trawl nets to set the tone for an awareness-raising action to be carried out in schools in the region during the next school year”, explains Ricardo Barradas, responsible by the project.
“It makes perfect sense for these young people to tell in the first person to their peers what they saw and collected at sea, what they learned during this process. We believe that this could be a more effective way of showing that it is urgent to stop, or eventually significantly reduce, the use of disposable plastic packaging and other non-recyclable materials. Especially at this time when the pandemic outbreak led to a return to the use of many single-use packages”, he adds.
The monitoring actions that are being carried out will continue until next October, when the intention is to start the phase of awareness-raising actions in the school community.
AECO invites all young people from secondary education in the municipalities of Faro and Olhão who are interested in developing their skills in this area, joining their efforts with these young women.
Requests for information should be made through the address [email protected] or [email protected].
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