‘Saving Our Blue’, a campaign that will focus on the damage caused by microplastics and the importance of protecting marine protected areas, has been launched for the third consecutive year.

Through the campaign, efforts against environmental and marine pollution will be intensified, Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia said during the launch on Tuesday, World Oceans Day.

The campaign was launched at Għadira Bay in Mellieħa.

The minister said the campaign will also continue to build on results achieved in previous years and serve as a foundation for future initiatives. 

“Our marine environment is particular, it is a source of food, medicine and important economic activity for fishers and populations all over the world,” Farrugia said. 

He said that many were making more sustainable consumption choices to adopt a better way of life and preserve the environment. 

The campaign will be implementing various beach clean-ups, including ones specifically focused on the collection of macro and microplastics. 

“But the fact remains that plastic takes many years to decompose and the amount of marine litter on the beaches and in our sea is harming the environment,” he said. 

Farrugia mentioned the introduction of legislation banning the importation of single-use plastics earlier this year. He said this will be followed with a ban on the sale and distribution of single-use plastics in January 2022. 

“We will be working with the commercial and business sectors to promote the development of more sustainable environmental measures, and in particular to help reduce waste that ends up in the sea,” he said.

The minister added that everyone must become more aware of how their daily choices and actions will affect the environment for current and future generations. 

“I wish to call on Maltese society to make the necessary effort to make more conscious choices in everyday life and I believe that everyone can play a role in reducing single-use plastics,” Farrugia said.