The problem of waste accumulating in water has reached a critical stage. As well as being an issue for the Basque Country, it is also an international one: plastic waste accounts for 85 per cent of ocean pollution; it threatens biodiversity by contributing to global warming and destroying the environment; and, over time, this material becomes difficult to manage. As if all this were not enough, if current trends continue, global plastic consumption will increase 2.5-fold by 2060.

Faced with this situation, the Udalbiltza consortium and its partners have felt the need to take action. Consequently, Udalbiltza has begun the process of developing the PLASTIGARBI project, in collaboration with other stakeholders. The aim is to establish a cross-border network to collect, sort and process marine litter: that which washes up on shores and beaches, that which is collected from the sea or rivers, and abandoned pleasure craft.

Following a lengthy process, the project has been selected under the second POCTEFA 2021–2027 call for proposals for European cross-border projects. Plastigarbi was launched following the launch event held on 10 March in Getaria and will run for three years.

The coastal towns of the Basque Country will be the focus of this project, which will follow a series of actions or strands that may be carried out in parallel:

First step

The first step will involve identifying the economic, social and legal context of the project’s scope. A technical and economic mapping exercise will be carried out of the organisations involved in waste collection and recycling; in other words, these organisations will be identified and characterised in technical, economic, social and legal terms. Based on this mapping, the stakeholders who can collaborate on the project will be identified. Furthermore, the waste accumulated in this coastal area will be identified, and an analysis will be carried out of the existing legislation and taxes relating to its collection, processing or recovery. Upon completion of this line of action, the location of the pilot area will be determined.

Second action

Another action or line of work will focus on the recovery of the collected plastic waste, promoting cross-border technological cooperation. Through a combination of various controlled processes, the technical partners will work to give the identified polymers a second life, either as raw material or energy, whilst simultaneously addressing the problems posed by end-of-life ships, a source of plastic waste and pollution.

Third action

To ensure the success of this initiative, a third line of work will focus on strengthening the cross-border network. In all activities covered by the project (characterisation, collection, processing and recovery of materials and waste), collaboration between stakeholders from different regions and countries will be encouraged, opening the way to new approaches and avenues.

• Udalbiltza
• UPPA
• ESTIA
• IFHVP
• ALTENS
• Leartiker
• Plentzia Marine Station (PIE-UPV/EHU)

Associated entities: the municipalities of Plentzia, Lekeitio, Mutriku, Zumaia, Orio and Hendaye; Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundia – Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa; Pyrénées-Atlantiques Departmental Council; the Bil ta garbi joint association; the Basque Coast Scientific Interest Group (Kosta garbia joint association); and the Itsas Garapen Elkartea association.

Leartiker will participate in various project activities:

• Development of technical and economic mapping of stakeholders in the waste collection and recycling value chain
• Identifying and quantifying waste accumulated in various coastal and riverine areas, as well as carrying out physical and chemical characterisation of plastic waste
• Mechanical recovery of plastic waste collected through cross-border cooperation
• Analysing the use of recycled materials developed for various applications
• Consolidating the cross-border value chain

“The Plastigarbi project (EFA200/06) has been 65 per cent co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg VI-A Spain-France-Andorra Programme (POCTEFA 2021–2027). The aim of POCTEFA is to strengthen economic and social integration in the border region between Spain, France and Andorra"