Free LitterAT, 2023-2026

The Free LitterAT project, whose full name is “Advancing towards litter-free Atlantic coastal communities by preventing and reducing macro and microlitter”, is funded by the European Interreg Atlantic program. Lasting 3 years, it aims to protect biodiversity by implementing innovative approaches to prevent and reduce marine litter pollution. This project, led by CETMAR (Spain), involves24 partners and associated partners from 4 countries: Ireland, France, Spain and Portugal.

More specifically, the project aims to advance towards litter-free coastal communities by developing, testing and implementing innovative approaches for the prevention, localization and reduction of marine litter, with a special emphasis on abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (also known as ALDFG) and microplastics. The project will help reduce inputs, locate sources and hotspots, enhance monitoring capabilities and raise awareness.

Main outputs include guidance, tools and joint solutions for waste management, marine litter monitoring, modelling, clean-up and removal as well as action plans transferred to the competent authorities and maritime stakeholders. The project will build on previous results and alliances, developing new solutions to be implemented through pilot actions.The project is divided into 4 work packages:

• WP1: Prevention by improving waste management and recycling,
• WP2: Assessment and monitoring of micro- and macrolitter contamination,
• WP3: Modelling approaches from micro and macro litter: from modelling outputs to sources and hotspots
• WP4: Reducing marine litter and associated risks.

This 3-year project is part of priority n°2.4 of the Interreg Atlantic program “Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution »

It aims to meet 4 major objectives which are:

1. Preventing marine litter by improving waste management and recycling and facilitating the implementation of SUP and PRF Directives
2. Understanding the origin, abundance and location of litter accumulation by identifying major sources, pathways and hotspots of marine litter (by monitoring and modelling)
3. Reducing and removing marine litter and associated risks.,
4. Promoting litter free local communities by developing pilot actions and awareness raising activities.

In this project, Cedre is working in particular on the development of innovative methods for analyzing microplastics, the identification of sources of marine litter, an overall assessment of plastic pollution in the Atlantic area and good practices for managing massive strandings and accumulation areas of litter on the coastline. This project allows Cedre to strengthen its collaboration with its partner IFPEN, which is contributing to the project alongside us, as part of the development of innovative methodologies to quantify microplastics in the environment.

Project website: https://freelitterat.eu/