Blue Point Consortium, an international alliance against plastic pollution in the Atlantic Ocean

With Laboratório da Paisagem as one of the 13 partners, this consortium is an international collaboration organisation promoting the recovery and reuse of marine plastic.

The general and innovation coordinator, Francisco Carvalho, and the Research & Development coordinator of the Landscape Laboratory, Carolina Rodrigues, attended the presentation of the project, which took place at the premises of Naturklima – Fundación de Cambio Climático de Gipuzkoa, in San Sebastian, Spain.

Blue Point is an ambitious project that seeks to address the issue of marine plastics and turn it into an opportunity to achieve a Blue Circular Economy in the regions of Gipuzkoa, Cantabria, Asturias, Portugal, France and Ireland. The presence of plastic in the sea has a serious impact on biodiversity, health and the marine economy. In response, Blue Point will look for innovative solutions to recover and reuse marine plastic as a raw material, giving rise to a new value chain.
The Blue Point Consortium is currently consolidated with the participation of 13 partners representing different regions of the Atlantic Area: 2 from Gipuzkoa (Gipuzkoa Provincial Council and MIK, Management Research Centre of Mondragon University), 1 from Cantabria (SORDECAN), 2 from Asturias (Government of the Principality of Asturias and the Agrupación de Sociedades Asturianas de Trabajo Asociado y Economía Social), 2 from Portugal (CVR – Centre for the Recovery of Waste and Laboratório da Paisagem), 3 from France (I Clean My Sea, École supérieure des technologies industrielles avancées – Estia and Decathlon), 3 from Ireland (Atlantic Technological University, University of Limeric and South East Business & Innovation Centre).

The project’s total budget amounts to 3,363,464.32 euros, 75% of which will be funded by the Interreg Atlantic 2021-2027 programme, equivalent to 2,522,598 euros. This funding will be spread over the years 2024, 2025 and 2026, with an annual budget of approximately 1 million euros. In a landmark event, the Blue Point project was selected by the European evaluation committee to receive a grant of 75% of the total project budget under the 1st call of the Interreg Atlantic Area 2021-2027 programme.