Restoration of the marine environment in Sicily

The project aims to restore and protect the marine ecosystem in the port and surrounding areas, between the Gulf of Olivella and the Port of Porticello (Sicily), threatened by waste such as tires and ghost nets, with the involvement of experts and communities. It includes initiatives for the recovery of submerged waste, recycling and transformation, to promote a circular economy, but also create opportunities for environmental education, sustainability and citizen science.
Goals:
• Environmental monitoring: characterization of the marine environment, identification of sensitive areas and critical areas to be cleaned; definition of waste recovery protocols.
• Waste removal: 10 recovery operations will be carried out to remove approximately 5 tonnes of waste from the seabed.
• Waste management: the waste will be stored, separated, classified according to current legislation and recycled by specialized companies, to create a circular economy.
• Circular economy: recovered materials, mainly plastic, will be treated and converted into useful products for different uses, such as green building.
• Community awareness: Organization of public events and educational sessions aimed at students, citizens and fishermen to promote eco-sustainable behavior and raise awareness of respect for the marine environment.
• Citizen science: Active involvement of citizens and schools in waste recovery, environmental monitoring, contributing to the restoration and protection of the marine environment.

Action plan:
1. Environmental monitoring: the investigation of the marine environment will be carried out by experts (biologists, engineering, etc.) using various prospecting and analysis tools (ROV, Side Scan Sonar and multiparametric probe, etc.) to characterize the marine environment and monitor it before and after recovery operations. Geographic information system (GIS) technology will be used to manage, analyze and map all types of data and information. The areas to be restored and the operational protocols for the recovery of marine waste will be planned in detail on maps.
2. Waste removal: 10 recovery operations will be carried out to remove approximately 5 tons of waste from the seabed using specialized divers and equipped vessels and other experts.
3. Waste management: the waste will be temporarily stored on the ground in special containers, separated, classified and recycled by specialized companies, to create a circular economy.
4. Circular economy: recovered materials, mainly plastic, will be treated and converted into useful products for different uses, such as green building.
5. Community awareness: Organization of public events and workshops to educate citizens, fishermen and students on the importance of environmental protection.
6. Citizen science: Active involvement of citizens and schools in waste recovery, environmental monitoring, contributing to the restoration and protection of the marine environment.