Żibel has collected 100 tons of waste material from around Malta, including beaches and underwater coastal areas. 

The 100-ton mark was reached during a week-long underwater clean-up activity at the Manoel Island marina, where a total of 9,200kg of material was collected. This amount consisted of 233kg of plastic, 357kg of ropes and fishing gear, 1,139kg of glass, 1,098kg of metal, 867kg of mixed waste and 5,506kg of tyres. 

The collected material being loaded on to a truck.

The activity, forms part of the Saving Our Blue campaign organised by Żibel, culminated on World Clean-Up Day and was sponsored by Pragmatic Play and organised in collaboration with MIDI and the Gżira local council. 

The clean-up started with an underwater survey of the sea surrounding Manoel Island, where it was decided to concentrate all efforts on the marina, which needed most clearing up due to various industrial activities that have taken place  in this area over the years.

The material collected from the seabed mostly consisted of tyres of various sizes which were often used as fenders in the past.

MIDI CEO Mark Portelli said: “We are pleased to collaborate with Żibel in their endeavour to keep our beaches and coastal areas clean from waste. We encourage volunteers to support this eNGO during such clean-ups and other environmentally friendly initiatives. Our collaboration with Żibel started two years ago when we provided them with free berthing facilities at our marina. 

“Efforts were concentrated on the marina, which needed most clearing up due to various industrial activities in the area over the years”

“Last year we also supported Żibel to install a Seabin, which collects plastics and debris from the surface of the sea, in the Manoel Island marina”.

While thanking MIDI for their support, Andrew Schembri, co-founder and chairman of Żibel, said: “We are pleased to have collected 100 tons of waste material from the coastline and seabed throughout the past years. 

“This is thanks in large part due to our sponsors and volunteers, who week in week out come to help us with our clean-ups and who continuously support our activities.”

5,506kg of tyres were collected during the initiative.