CUP: I85D18000460006

WATER LANDSCAPES SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH REUSE OF MARINE LITTER

SINTESI DEL PROGETTO

MEDITERRANEAN BEACHES ARE SUBJECTED TO NATURAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC PRESSURES. IN THE LAST YEARS, NATURAL RESOURCE EXPLOITATION, URBANIZATION, INDUSTRIAL GROWTH, AND INTENSIVE TOURIST FREQUENTATION SEVERELY DEGRADED CROSS-BORDER COASTAL DUNE ECOSYSTEMS. BEACHES ARE SINKS FOR MARINE LITTER (ML), WHICH IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT AS THE 10TH DESCRIPTOR OF GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS OF THE MARINE STRATEGY FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE OF THE EU. ML IS A SERIOUS THREAT TO BIOTIC COMMUNITIES, ECOSYSTEMS AND BIODIVERSITY. MOREOVER, COASTAL EROSION (CE) AND ML LEAD TO THE DETERIORATION OF BEACH QUALITY, DECREASING THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF COASTAL AREAS FOR TOURISM, LEADING TO SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS. OFTEN, TO STOP EROSION WALLS ARE BUILT IN FRONT OF THE BEACHES, WITH A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND ATTRACTIVENESS AND CLEAN-UP ACTIVITIES ARE CARRIED OUT WITH MECHANICAL EQUIPMENTS THAT FURTHER CONTRIBUTE TO CE. THESE HARD APPROACHES WERE NOT SUPPORTED BY AN ADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE OF POSSIBLE CONSEQUEN