NGO Żibel will be coordinating all sea-based operations from the Manoel Island Marina following a collaboration agreement with MIDI plc. Żibel will be berthing their boat at the marina, which is expected to become their operations hub for the summer months.
Building on this collaboration, a sponsored Seabin by Norwex will also be installed at the marina which will join the larger fleet of Seabins around Malta.
Each Seabin collects plastics and debris ranging from fibres of 2mm width to jerrycans and large plastic bottles.
This brings the active number of Seabins in the area up to two, giving Żibel an interesting insight into debris in the Gżira area.
By recording wind conditions, waste build-up can be properly monitored and forecasted as the collective knowledge gained from the Seabin units begin to provide sufficient data.
A MIDI plc spokesman 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 NGO during their clean-ups and other environmentally friendly initiatives.”
While thanking MIDI plc for their support, Andrew Schembri, co-founder and chairman of Żibel, said: “Berthing is a substantial cost for the NGO and is vital to our boat operations as we require a considerable wash-down after clean-up work with the Żibel boat.
“We are aiming to gather at least 20 tonnes from the coastline and seabed this year, thanks in large part to our boat, and of course, our beloved volunteers.”
The NGO reminds other boat owners and users to keep a vigilant eye on the sea this summer for plastics, ropes and other debris, encouraging people to inform the NGO of locations and evidence of debris via their respective social media channels.
Since it was set up in 2017, Żibel has collected over 80 tonnes of waste from the Maltese environment, including beaches and coastal areas. It has also connected with thousands of volunteers during various clean-ups and partnered with over 120 private organisations.