Two teams of volunteers removed more than 1.6 tonnes of waste from the seabed in the south of Malta this past weekend.

Divers, snorkelers and other volunteers met at spots in Birżebbuġa and Żurrieq to take part in the clean-ups, which were organised by the Malta Airport Foundation.

Over five hours, a group of volunteers at Birżebbuġa brought to the surface around 700 kilos of waste mainly consisting of plastic jerry cans and bottles, discarded pieces of mooring rope and broken boat parts.

Another team at Wied iż-Żurrieq collected numerous glass and plastic bottles, as well as 53 tyres, a metal ladder, bollards, concrete sinkers and large metal pipes, amounting to around 900 kilos.

Divers from the Calypso Subaqua Club and Atlam Subaqua Club took part in the events.

A diver cleans up discarded tyres from the seabed in Żurrieq. Photo: Mario Micallef

“It is worrying that many people still fail to understand that careless actions, such as the incorrect disposal of waste, lead to altered oceans, seas and underwater ecosystems. Initiatives such as clean-ups highlight the dire need for better education on why it is important to keep our seas healthy,” said Foundation Chairman Josef Formosa Gauci.

The Malta Airport Foundation, set up in 2014, is an NGO intended to invest in Maltese heritage and the environment. Much of its environmental focus is on marine conservation and working towards improving the quality of the waters surrounding the islands for the benefit of locals and tourists visiting Malta. Beaches and diving, in fact, consistently rank among tourists’ top ten reasons for visiting the Maltese islands. 

Over the past six years, the foundation has backed the production of two underwater documentaries and purchased two sea-bins installed at Marsascala and Marsaxlokk.