In a statement the Oceano Azul Foundation (FOA) said that this action, which will run until September 24, aims to raise awareness of the issue of marine litter, marking International Coastal Cleanup Day, which is celebrated on Saturday.

The start takes place on Saturday with “Clean the Coast: from Trafaria to Fonte da Telha”, during which several Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), surf schools and other local entities have organised clean-ups along a stretch of 13 kilometres covering 32 beaches, located in the municipality of Almada, in the district of Setúbal.

The Foundation recalls that marine litter represents a threat to biodiversity, human health and the economy.

“Around 80 percent of the trash found in marine ecosystems originates from human activities on land and only around 20 percent comes from activities directly linked to the sea. Cleaning and monitoring litter on beaches is fundamental to raising awareness among the population regarding the scale of this problem”.

Since 2019, more than 250 tonnes of marine litter have been collected in Portugal, with the involvement of more than 18,000 volunteers in 625 actions, according to data from the Foundation.