There are some anglers in the Mediterranean who are fishing for nets. The effort isn't misguided; rather, it's part of a coordinated recycling project led by Spain's Gravity Wave to tackle the sea's 1.2 million tons of plastic waste.
The operation was founded by siblings Amaia Rodríguez Solá and Julen Rodríguez in 2019 as a way to build a coalition of partners invested in preventing more waste from accumulating, and remediating what's already there, according to the company.
They are upcycling the nylon fishing nets and other debris into unique products, from furniture to panels for architecture and interior designs. The colorful slabs resemble granite.
"Our goal is to create value through impact, not just clean up the oceans," Rodríguez Solá said in a New York Times story.
Plastic pollution can take centuries to degrade, breaking down into harmful microplastics during the decades, according to the United Nations. Experts are starting to track how the particles are traveling from the ocean to human bodies, including through seafood. Worse yet, evidence is mounting that microplastics cause inflammation and damage human cells, per Stanford Report.
The health repercussions add urgency to projects aimed at reducing the waste. Other efforts are tackling the problem in unique ways, as well. India-based Thaely is turning littered plastic into shoes. Scientists are also studying caterpillars that can digest the pollution.
Gravity Wave's team intends to expand its work by collaborating with like-minded businesses, individuals, and governments. It begins by removing "every last kilogram of plastic from the Mediterranean Sea," the team said on its website.
The problem is immense. A five-day collection in 2024 pulled 10,800 pounds of dangerous "ghost nets" from the sea floor. That's about as heavy as an African elephant. The nets trap sea creatures and harm coral reefs when left adrift, according to the Times.
High recycling costs and processing diverse plastic types are challenges. The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis reported that virgin plastics are often cheaper — and prices are dropping — than recycled material.
That's why Gravity Wave is working with Nike and other well-known brands on solutions that reuse salvaged materials to make store displays and other items. The team said that by reducing the need to make new plastics, its process lowers production-related pollution and promotes a circular sector.
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In Spain, Gravity Wave intends to take on the heavy pollution burden with "countless alliances" formed around the world.
"If you've checked out our manifesto, you already know we're dreamers — but more importantly, we get things done," the team wrote on its website.
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