A lot of the plastic we use every day ends up in the sea even if we put it in the recycling bin. The same goes for that present in the synthetic fabrics of our clothes.

Since these materials derive from petroleum, once produced they are a problem for the ecosystem and always will be. Regardless of how well we believe the separate collection of disposable material or the recycling of used clothes is doing.

Since plastic pollution has become a colossal problem that frightens those who know it, many efforts have been made by science in recent years to study what is happening to the ecosystem. And with MicroMar, we want to do the same.

However, the approach we use is different from what is usually organized by scientific research groups. MicroMar was in fact born outside the University, but relies on the University for everything concerning protocols, methodologies and scientific rigor. MicroMar also counts on citizens who are not scientists (divers, fishermen, volunteers, high school students…) and wants to keep them informed about the results and involved in understanding the problem. All this is supported by small funds deriving from a local association (AIPU) to meet the costs of purchasing laboratory equipment… And this led to the start of the fourth sampling campaign in the Mediterranean in 2023.