The Mediterranean, a closed sea that takes between 80 and 90 years to replenish its waters, has a serious problem of pollution. Most of this pollution, according to sources in the European Union (EU), is plastic. According to data disseminated by different environmental organisations, there are 500 tonnes of plastic waste floating in the sea and 250,000 million small particles of the same material. 83% of this waste comes from dry land.

To tackle this, the European Commission launched a pilot project in France in May this year: paying fishermen to receive plastic instead of fish. The waste thus collected will be destined for recycling. By the way, fishermen who are increasingly finding it difficult to do their usual work are guaranteed access.

The EU Commissioner for Fisheries, María Damanaki, has expressed the hope that this initiative will soon be extended to other countries. Some fishermen from other countries, for their part, would like to recall that they themselves have been working as garbage collectors themselves without receiving anything in return, because along with fish, it is what they bring to port: waste.