Microplastics to be cleaned from Las Canteras beach on a monthly basis
11 May, 2022The campaign to collect and sample microplastics in the El Confital bay as part of the Investiga en Las Canteras project, jointly led by the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, has garnered the support of a large number of volunteers. The volunteers will work with the EOMAR group researchers from the University Institute of Sustainable Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems, who are coordinating the initiative.
The first event took place at the beginning of April, between the Playa Chica and La Puntilla beaches, and will now be carried out on a monthly basis until the end of 2022. The aim is to study the concentration of microplastics in the area between La Barra and the Las Canteras beach shore. The project is also working together with the Latitud Azul organisation and the company Salitre Sport.
More than 130 people have signed up as volunteers to help with the initiative and raise awareness of marine pollution. “It’s a great example of how science can engage people. We put out an appeal and in just a few days have received a multitude of requests from people wanting to help. It’s an example of what we like to call citizen science”, said the project coordinator, Alicia Herrera.