Volunteers collected 168 kilograms of rubbish from Nova Icària beach at Port Olímpic during the first Plogging Congress in Barcelona. Around 50 people spent Saturday morning combing the sand, water and seabed for waste, finding everything from plastic bottles to a supermarket trolley.
The event, organised by municipal company BSM and the Climent Guitart Foundation, ran from 10am to midday with help from Bluewave Alliance and volunteers from Caser Grupo Helvetia and ISDIN. Divers from Barcelona Diving Club, the Municipal Sailing Centre and Club Esportiu Mossos d’Esquadra also joined the cleanup effort.
Most of the rubbish collected was plastic, including bottles and wet wipes. David Serrano, BSM’s corporate director for ESG and Integrated Management Systems, said the findings show the urgent need for change. “We need materials with minimal environmental impact, more reuse, and awareness that a plastic bag, bottle or cap in the sea or nature takes between 10 and 450 years to break down whilst contaminating the environment,” he explained.
The day finished with Dissabte Blau, the Port Olímpic’s family festival featuring free workshops and activities. The cleanup marked the end of two days of discussions about sustainability and marine pollution. It’s the first time the Plogging Congress has come to Barcelona, choosing the renovated Port Olímpic which aims to be a sustainability leader focused on marine biodiversity regeneration.
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