Columbia Ship Management has joined forces with the Cyprus-based AKTI Project and Research Centre to support research into the detection and analysis of coastal microplastics in waters off the coast of Cyprus.
This research project aims to highlight the detrimental effects of microplastics to the marine environment. It includes sampling at 10 beaches in Cyprus – five popular and five remote during both the summer and winter months and laboratory analysis will be done at the Department of Civil Engineering lab of the University of Cyprus carried out.
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The baseline year will be 2022 and based on the results of the first year, the four most microplastic-polluted beaches will be identified. They will then receive more detailed monitoring, sampling and analysis, in the following two years on the abundancy, and type, of microplastics. The research project will create the first data series of systematic microplastics monitoring in Cyprus.
This field work will provide valuable data to guide the policies against plastic pollution, since it will give the first indication in the eastern Mediterranean of microplastics concentration on beaches.
Mark O’Neil, CEO and President of CSM, said:
Only by opening a communication channel can we understand the real needs, priorities and challenges that civil society and our people or partners face and only then can we really help. By offering solutions that meet these needs
In addition, Xenia Loizidou, AKTI Chairwoman, highlighted that “it is of utmost importance to develop synergies and then actions, to combat plastic pollution and improve the management of plastic when it becomes waste.”
In a similar development, MOL and Miura announced the development of new centrifugal-type microplastic (MP) collection device, which can collect MPs while a vessel is underway.
The system will operate by leveraging their technology and knowledge of an earlier MP collection device they co-developed. The new device was installed on the MOL-operated car carrier Emerald Ace last month for a demonstration test.
