Legambiente's Vele spiegate, the largest beach cleaning operation, starts from Sorrento

Pmore than two months of travel along the coasts of Campania, Tuscany and the Gulf of Corinth (Greece) and 600 volunteers in action to raise awareness among citizens on the issue of marine litter, monitor the presence of waste and ask institutions to implement prevention and awareness policies. The appointment with Vele spiegate, the Legambiente project that started today in Sorrento (Na) is back for the third consecutive year and will involve young volunteers who will take turns in beach cleaning activities and scientific monitoring, cetacean observation and raising awareness among tourists about the culture and protection of the sea. An innovative citizen science experience (the contribution of citizens to scientific monitoring of environmental problems) carried out with the patronage of Enea and the University of Siena, and thanks to the support of the main partner Novamont and the contribution of Sarim; Acquatec; Penisola Verde; Municipality of Sorrento; Cilento, Valle di Diano and Alburni National Park and Italian Sailing Federation – Committee V Zone (for Campania). In addition to represent a large beach cleaning campaign, the volunteer sailing camps for minors of Vele spiegate is a further and significant experience of citizen science practiced for years by Legambiente throughout the national territory and considered by several international institutional sources as one of the most advanced experiences in the world, as also emerged in the UN Conference on the Oceans in New York where we also recounted our experience in the General Assembly

The volunteers will be involved in two fields in Sorrento and then move in July and August for other three fields in Acciaroli, Marina di Camerota, Scario locations in the Cilento Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. During the camps, the volunteers, in conjunction with the scientific monitoring activities, will be involved in a campaign to clean the sea and beaches. In collaboration with local administrations and in agreement with local waste disposal agencies, floating waste will be collected, separated and brought to land from the vessel. The beaches will also be the subject of activities through the organization of clean-up events open to citizens and tourists.

«This year too Vele spiegate lands in Campania to acquire qualitative and quantitative data relating to the waste present in our coastal areas – explains Mariateresa Imparato, president of Legambiente Campania. The scientific interest of the project also lies in the investigations focused on remote beaches, where public access is limited. The project aims to acquire qualitative and quantitative data and floating waste will be mapped and collected along the project routes and along the beaches volunteers will be engaged in studying the quantity and type of beached waste. The monitoring of floating waste (floating macro litter) and beached waste (beach litter) follows the scientific protocol drawn up by Legambiente on the basis of the official protocols of the Ministry of the Environment and Protection of Land and Sea and ISPRA. The data collected will also contribute to the international research network, in the field of marine litter”

Last year Full Sails, which represents the largest cleaning operation on the Cilento beaches, thanks to the volunteers has 14 Cilento beaches monitored. In detail, the survey recorded 2.143 pieces of waste for an average of approximately 1,5 pieces of waste per meter of beach. Plastic is always the most found material, equal to 80% of the total waste found, followed by metal (6,3%), paper and cardboard (4,2%) and glass/ceramics (4,1%). A good 34% of what constitutes waste on the beaches of Cilento is represented by objects created to have a short life. Among these are disposable plastic objects that we use for a few minutes, but if disposed of incorrectly they pollute the environment for tens or hundreds of years such as bottles (found on 100% of the beaches), dishes (on 64% of the beaches) and bags (on 57%). For the second consecutive year, FIV Campania partners with Legambiente in the Vele spiegate project. For the President V ZONE Francesco Lo Schiavo: It is an important opportunity to make sailing known by sailing along the Campania coast and in particular by crossing three marine protected areas, with the aim of making people understand the meaning of respecting our Sea"

“Our sea - he comments Rachele Palomba Councilor for the Environment of the Municipality of Sorrento– it is a resource that, unfortunately, we are not always able to fully protect. I am convinced that one of the important factors for enhancing our coastlines is, once and for all, becoming aware of the extent of the problem and transmitting the right message to the new generations, to prevent them from repeating the mistakes made in the past. It is precisely thanks to initiatives such as “Vele spiegate” that we are able to make this an intergenerational issue, in which young people become protagonists on the front line in protecting the sea resource. For this reason, as an administration, we feel the duty to put it among the political priorities, out of a sense of responsibility towards our children and towards those who will come after us.