Volunteers from the Greek Eco Project removed 366 kilograms of waste and two electric scooters from the Thermaic Gulf during a cleanup operation in Thessaloniki on Sunday morning.
Ten volunteers took part in the operation, working along the coastline from the White Tower to the Port of Thessaloniki.
The team collected 61 bags of waste, each with a capacity of 45 litres. According to Avgi Metaxa, founder of the Greek Eco Project, each bag weighed around six kilograms, while the two scooters weighed 60 kilograms combined.
Volunteers used magnets to retrieve metal objects, as well as hooks and large nets. Poor visibility made the operation more difficult because the water was particularly murky. The waste also included plastics trapped in seaweed.
Sunday’s operation marked the fifth cleanup organised by the Greek Eco Project since March. During that period, volunteers have recovered a total of 37 bicycles and scooters from the Thermaic Gulf.
When possible, the organisation returns recovered bicycles and scooters to the companies that own them so they can repair and reuse them. The municipality collects heavily damaged items and sends them for recycling.
The Greek Eco Project is an environmental association based in Thessaloniki. Founded in 2020, it organises environmental activities and educational programmes across Greece, including coastal and underwater cleanups, tree planting, ecological workshops and urban regeneration projects.
One of its largest initiatives is BlueHalkidiki. The organisation ultimately aims to create a multifunctional, fully energy-independent ecological park in the Thessaloniki regional unit that will remain open to the public.
According to its plans, the park will feature gardens, lakes, open-air playgrounds and areas for pets, while also serving as a centre for environmental education and awareness.
The Greek Eco Project’s next major operation will take place on Sunday, September 6, in Porto Koufo, Halkidiki. Volunteers and divers will clean the seabed and recover waste, while also attempting to free marine organisms trapped in discarded materials.
Organisers will record and weigh the collected waste after the operation.
