Festival dell’acqua (Water Festival) against plastic pollution

The NODC took part in the Festival dell’acqua (Water Festival), which began on May 16 and ended yesterday, May 19. The festival took place for the second edition in Staranzano and other municipalities on the Isonzo in the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG). The event is characterised by the combination of artistic and scientific languages. The dense programme included talks and demonstrations, research paths and exhibition events, workshops and other experiences. The aim of the festival is to spread this message: “Water is a limited resource and a universal and fundamental human right. As such, it must be protected.”

On May 16, Matteo Vinci from NODC was one of the speakers at the conference entitled “New Plastics Economy”. Vinci is a researcher and data manager currently involved in the European projects EMODnet Chemistry and EuroqCharm, which deal respectively with the European management of marine litter data and the standardisation of methods for assessing and monitoring litter pollution.

The event provided an opportunity to draw attention to the global challenge of the invasive presence of plastic: by 2050, it is predicted that the oceans will contain more plastic by weight than fish. In this context, the speakers emphasised that every effort we make helps to reduce the release of plastic into natural systems. The Water Festival in Italy picks up on the theme of World Water Day on March 22, 2024, namely Water for Peace , which focuses on the fundamental role of this resource for the stability and prosperity of the world, and the theme of World Earth Day 2024 on April 22, namely Planet Vs Plastic .

Enzo Suma and Giuliano Sponton were also involved in the conference. Suma is a nature guide who founded Archeoplastica in 2018, a museum of beach litter that aims to promote a more conscious approach to plastic; Sponton is the director of Isontina Ambiente, one of the most important waste management and disposal companies in the FVG.