On the occasion of the World Environment Day (5th June) and the World Oceans Day (8th June) the exhibition on marine litter will be hosted in the town hall of Elefsina, for two weeks. This period, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the municipality does not hold public events, however the exhibition will be an alert for the dozens of working staff and the visiting citizens.
Sadly, the topic of marine litter has gained popularity during the pandemic, as there has been a dramatic increase in the numbers of personal protective equipment like gloves, tissues and masks, washed ashore. Just because we need to protect ourselves and those around us, doesn’t mean that we should not pay attention to the way we dispose these items. Beware, for hygiene reasons we should dispose these items in the normal waste bin (not the recycling bin).
Moreover, European citizens should remain alert: the pandemic cannot be used as excuse for any retrogression in the progress made against single plastics (The EU single-use plastics directive should be made into law at the national level in 2020).
This exhibition is a reminder to citizens to keep informed and active in their fights against litter and make sure their wastes never reach the sea. Individual citizens and students from the nearby school will be have the opportunity to visit the exhibition and leave us their messages on how they can be part of the solution.
Here are some tips for protecting the environment, while staying safe from COVID-19:
- Opt for reusable, washable masks instead of single use ones
- Opt for liquid anti-septic, instead of disinfectant wipes.
- Opt for a big container of anti-septic instead of many small ones (you can refill a small container to carry around)
- Dispose any single use wipes, masks, etc in the waste bin – not in the recycling bin, and not in the sewer!
- Don’t forget to close the tap, while you was/soap your hands
- Aerate your house frequently instead of using A/C.
You are all invited to share with us your message how you can combat marine litter – here.
