Knowledge measures

The level of implication of the aquaculture farmers, the necessities to create a functional EPR scheme and the market value of the recycled products should be analysed and defined previously to setting up the EPR scheme.

Marine debris management Marine debris management

Relevant type of aquaculture:

Fish Shellfish Seaweed

Relevant sea basin:

Mediterranean

Relevant stage:

Removal and recycling

Related Barriers:

  • Circular schemes based on recycling end-of-life nets to produce recycled nets does not seem to have, currently, economic viability since recycled nets are much more expensive than regular nets.

  • High-level policy makers show little awareness of the necessity to develop specific decrees for the EPR system. Besides, an EPR system is very complex and needs the involvement of many sectors and many public and private institutions.

  • Marine litter recycling (e.g. nets) is very difficult and complicated because of the degradation level. Besides, aquaculture gear sometimes has mixed different types of material, which makes recycling even more difficult and expensive.

  • Market is lacking to use all types of recyclable material.

  • There is a lack of protocols for the cleaning and recovery of materials prior to recycling. There is a resistance to collecting all types of materials in ports. For example, dirty materials are not taken by all recyclers.

  • There is additional legislation needed (decrees) to put in place specific EPR schemes in Spain.

  • There are no plants adapted for recycling all types of material.

Related Good Practice:

R&R GP5.1

In Italy, a tax is applied to all plastic packaging producers

 The producers are in a consortium that manage their taxes (CONAI). Their contribution is used for the disposal process of the packaging. A similar idea is represented by the European collaborative initiative of a European consortium of companies and associations representing the entire value chain of flexible packaging (CEFLEX.EU). The CEFLEX mission is to further enhance the performance of flexible packaging in the circular economy by designing and advancing better system solutions identified through the collaboration of companies representing the entire value chain This kind of consortia can support partnership and common effort in finding valuable solutions.