The United Nations Environment Programme says 730 tonnes of plastic litter is dumped in the Mediterranean Sea every day. Euronews reporter Luca Palamara speaks to fishermen in Naples looking to cut down on plastic waste generated by the trade.
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00:00 Fishermen in the Gulf of Naples preparing to go out for the daily catch.
00:04 These white polystyrene boxes on board will soon be a thing of the past.
00:08 Two municipalities in the area have joined forces in the fight against plastic pollution.
00:13 Thanks to European funds, thousands of reusable plastic fishing crates are being purchased
00:18 to replace their polystyrene counterparts.
00:20 The multi-purpose brittle material is one of the main causes of microplastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea.
00:26 I think this box will be the future. I see it as a positive thing for the environment and society.
00:37 Unlike the old polystyrene crates, the new carriers can be washed and disinfected.
00:42 These fishermen from the village of Pozzuoli are ready for the change.
00:46 The new plastic boxes will be washed with microchips and will be always clean.
00:51 They will not be thrown into the environment.
00:53 There is a little more work, but I think it's better.
00:56 I think the future is better with this one. Maybe we can protect the environment.
01:00 The fishermen of Pozzuoli show that it is possible to combine the attention to work with the respect for the environment.
01:07 A small change can mean a lot for the health of the sea in which they work.
01:11 All actions that can be in the field from an environmental point of view,
01:16 they are on the side of the administration and naturally they also take this thing positively.
01:21 Because improving the environment means improving the activity.
01:24 Plastic accounts for 95% of floating litter in the Mediterranean Sea and more than 50% on the seabed.
01:33 The United Nations Environment Program says 730 tons of plastic end up in the Mediterranean every day.
01:40 www.plastic-free-maryland.com
01:44 (whooshing)