Microplastic and Microfiber Monitoring Campaign - MICROMAR in the Gulf of Gaeta

The MICROMAR microplastic monitoring campaign, launched by the International Association Progetti Ulisse (AIPU), is relaunching in the Gulf of Gaeta.

The campaign collaborates with citizens, researchers, the University of Naples "Federico II," the Departments of Chemistry and DiStar, and the Lega Navale (Naval League) headquarters in Sperlonga and Lake Fondi. The goal is to collect and analyze seawater and sand samples to map the presence of microplastics and microfibers. Plastic pollution is already present in nature, in our seas, and even in our bodies. Plastic is invading the world, with an estimated 8 billion tons of waste already globally, and its production could triple by 2060. Plastic waste often breaks down into micro- and nanoplastics that enter the human body through water, food, and breathing. Several studies have already highlighted the presence of microplastics in human tissues and bodily fluids and called for a precautionary approach to the spread of plastics. If we continue on this path, the entire world will drown in plastic pollution, with enormous consequences for our economic and human health, but this must not be our future. Together, we can solve this challenge. The campaign has been ongoing in past years and involves the active participation of volunteers who, when requested, can send samples for analysis, and scientific dissemination. To raise public awareness of the problem, visit micromar.org. Meanwhile, a treaty to defeat plastic pollution is being agreed upon in Geneva; it is the first step towards the future, says marine biologist Adriano Madonna, scientific director of the AIPU. Plastic waste is choking our seas and lakes, harming wildlife and threatening human health. A Plastics Treaty is effective and establishes global solutions and measures that address the entire life cycle of plastic. This is more than just an environmental problem: it is a global challenge that requires urgent and collective action, says Luigi Valerio, President of the AIPU. Plastic pollution is already present in nature, in our seas, and even in our bodies. If we continue down this path, the entire world will drown in plastic pollution, with enormous consequences for our economic and human health. We're starting again in the Gulf of Gaeta, then expanding it to other regional and national areas through the collection of water samples by citizen volunteers and the publication of the monitoring results. MICROMAR is a citizen science project created to combat microplastic pollution.