The TransforMAR project, promoted by Lidl in collaboration with Electrão, returns to 20 beaches from north to south of the country to raise awareness of the principles of the circular economy: it gives new life to collected waste, transforming it into textiles and works of art.
With a presence from north to south of the country in the last four years, having already collected more than 110 tons of plastic, the TransforMAR project, by Lidl Portugal and Electrão, in partnership with Brigada do Mar, Associação Bandeira Azul da Europa (ABAE) , Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente (APA), Marinha and Quercus, returns to Portuguese beaches to raise awareness of the importance of good environmental behavior – challenging them to give an adequate destination to plastic and metal waste, while enjoying their time on the beach - and for the principles of the circular economy, through the reduction, reuse and recycling of collected plastic and metal.
This year, TransformMAR will operate on 20 beaches from north to south of the country, with the implementation of its own deposits for the collection and recycling of plastic and metal, preventing them from ending up in the oceans. In addition to the 20 beaches, areas of high risk of contamination of the oceans were identified, in which the project is already operating, through cleaning actions on the Portuguese coast, with the support of the Brigada do Mar for the 3rd consecutive year, expanding its reach. . Additionally, in this edition of the project, the Navy will, together with the Maritime Police, carry out an action to clean and collect fishing nets on the high seas - a global problem that destroys habitats, marine species and also threatens human health.
As the promotion of the principles of the circular economy is one of the pillars of the project, all the plastic collected will have a new life, as in previous years. In this 5th edition, the plastic and waste collected, which can be recycled, will be transformed into textiles made in Portugal, 100% from recycled plastic, seeking to continue to raise awareness among communities in the next edition of the project, in 2023. Plastic and waste cannot be recycled, they will also be reused within the scope of this project, through the creation of sculptures, by Portuguese artist Soraia Domingos, located in the North (Matosinhos), Center (Nazaré) and South (Portimão) of the country, seeking to alert the Portuguese population for this theme beyond the beach.
During the weekends of July and August, Lidl will have actions on the beaches under the project, together with the TransforMAR containers, seeking to raise awareness of the importance of adopting more responsible behavior and proper treatment of plastic, through dynamics and games that address the theme of circular economy. To encourage vacationers to participate, Lidl will have available t-shirts made from 100% recycled plastic, produced by Skizo in partnership with the textile company TMG.
For Elena Aldana, Director of Public Affairs, Communication and ESG at Lidl Portugal, “The TransforMAR project has been fundamental to the development of our mission to raise awareness of more sustainable consumption and to reinforce our commitment to taking care of the planet. With a total of 110 tons of plastic already collected in the last four editions, TransforMAR makes it possible to contribute, in parallel, with a direct benefit to the community, as it follows the principles of the circular economy”.
Electrão's CEO, Pedro Nazareth, congratulates himself on his involvement in yet another edition of the TransforMAR project, which raises awareness of the need to separate and correctly route packaging waste for recycling, especially plastic packaging. “Electrão is proud to be part of this campaign, which reinvents and innovates every year in the context of waste management and the circular economy. This year the initiative has the merit of continuing to promote the circularity of materials, which will be used to manufacture T-shirts and artistic pieces, putting the Circular Economy at the service of the community and art”.
Simão Acciaioli, President of Brigada do Mar says, “It is in persistence and focus that the greatest transformations are made, it is not another year of the TransforMAR project, it is our path without date but with one objective, to be all one in the defense of the ocean".
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