Spanish initiative collects up to 225 tons of floating marine waste using smart buoys

The Upcycling the Oceans initiative has managed to collect up to 225 tons of floating marine waste over two years using smart buoys developed by the Spanish technology company Satlink.

The project was carried out by the Ecoalf Foundation and Ecoembes, with the involvement of 35 ports from their partner network and the local trawling fleet.

Over this period, more than 90 port visits and 40 educational and awareness-raising events were held to promote the fight against marine litter.

These smart buoys are equipped with GPS tracking systems and current prediction software to monitor floating waste and facilitate its collection. This also enables the participation of small-scale fishing vessels.

Satlink buoys were already used at the OceanDepth project to help regenerate beaches. This system measures the sediment on the seabed to halt beach regression.

Upcycling the Oceans was launched in 2015 and has received the support of Ecoembes since then — a non-profit organization in Spain responsible for managing the recycling of household packaging waste, such as plastics, cans, cartons, and paper packaging.

Finally, the waste is processed and sorted by authorized local managers within the Ecoembes network, enabling a circular economy that gives new life to the recovered materials.

"This experience shows that marine protection is possible when built locally, through trust-based relationships and accessible technological tools," reads a statement from Satlink.