CLAIM · Cleaning Litter by developing and Applying Innovative Methods in european seas

CLAIM focuses on the development of innovative cleaning technologies and approaches, targeting the prevention and in situ management of visible and invisible marine litter in the Mediterranean and Baltic Sea.Two innovative technological methods will be developed, a photocatalytic nanocoating device for cleaning microplastics in wastewater treatment plants and a small-scale thermal treatment device for energy recovery from collected litter on board ships and ports. An innovative floating boom for collecting visible litter and a method to measure microlitter on board ships (Ferrybox) will be developed. The proposed cleaning technologies and approaches prevent litter from entering the sea at two main source points, i.e. wastewater treatment plants and river mouths. Effectiveness of developed devices and methods will be demonstrated under real conditions. Additionally, CLAIM will develop innovative modeling tools to assess the marine visible and invisible plastic pollution at basin and regional scales (Saronikos Gulf, Gulf of Lion, Ligurian Sea, Gulf of Gabes and Belt Sea).An ecosystems approach will be followed to evaluate the potential benefit from proposed litter cleaning methods to ecosystem services. New business models will be developed to enhance the economic feasibility for upscaling the innovative cleaning technologies, taking into account the existing legal and policy frameworks in the CLAIM countries, as well as acceptance of the new technologies by their end-users and relevant stakeholders.The data and information produced will be made available to policymakers, stakeholders and end-users in a user-friendly format,both meaningful and tailored to each stakeholder group. CLAIM aims at the same time to raise public awareness with respect to having healthy oceans and seas, clean of litter and pollutants, and hence the importance of reducing marine (macro, micro and nano) pollution in European seas and beyond towards restoring marine ecosystems based on a circular economy.