The cleaning was done by students of the Dom Francisco Gomes d´Avelar and Cândido Guerreiro Professional Schools and collaborators of Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP).

In addition to interventions on Portuguese beaches and coasts, this programme has an environmental awareness aspect. In this sense, the institutions participating in the cleaning of Faro received training on the problem of marine litter and how it reaches beaches, the importance of recycling and the correct separation of waste, the need for responsible consumption and investment in the circular economy. The training also included the Algarve School of Hotel and Tourism and the Senior University of Faro. Environmental awareness and coordination of the cleaning action in Faro was the responsibility of LPN - League for Nature Protection, a non-governmental organization partner of the “Mares Circulares” project in Portugal. This action was supported by the Faro City Council.

This year, the “Mares Circulares” programme has promoted interventions on the coast of Viana do Castelo, Caloura (São Miguel Island), Galapos Beach (Setúbal), Bom Sucesso (Óbidos) Melides (Grândola), with the participation of more than 2000 volunteers.

Beach cleaning and environmental awareness actions are also planned at Ponta dos Corvos Beach (Seixal), Porto Santo (Madeira Archipelago), Aterro Beach (Matosinhos), Salgueiros Beach (Gaia) and São Jacinto (Aveiro)

Last year, in the first edition of this intervention and awareness programme promoted by the Coca-Cola Foundation and CCEP, about 800 kilos of garbage were removed from six Portuguese beaches and sent for selective treatment and recycling. PET has been reintroduced into the value chain, giving rise to new materials and packaging giving a second life to packaging and making the commitment to circularity of this Iberian initiative.

As a result of the project, Coca-Cola produced this year the first bottles in the world made from marine plastic material, that is suitable for food and beverage. The 300 bottles presented this month in London used 25 percent recycled plastic from beaches and sea beds in Portugal and Spain. These bottles demonstrate the ability of innovative and revolutionary recycling techniques that have made it possible to transform highly degraded PET plastic into high quality raw material.

At the Iberian level, this programme includes the intervention and cleaning of more than 100 beaches and aquatic environments, covering a total of 270km of coastline in collaboration with various NGOs and with the contribution of thousands of volunteers from various institutions, associations and civil society.

It is a global project that aims to contribute to a change of mindset that will create environmentally sustainable solutions to the problem of marine litter in a society of more informed and responsible citizens.