Success stories on marine pollution

Romanian start-up Recycllux is using artificial intelligence (AI) to help communities detect, collect and recycle marine plastic waste. With support from BlueInvest, the company raised €375,000 in 2025 and is now expanding its innovative cleanup model across the Mediterranean.

Coastal and marine ecosystems in the Black Sea are under growing pressure from global challenges, including pollution, climate change, and the environmental consequences of armed conflict.

Limfjorden, a scenic waterway winding through Northern Denmark, is the country’s largest fjord and a vital natural and cultural resource. But high numbers of lost or abandoned fishing nets – known as ghost nets – are threatening the fjord’s biodiversity,

As pollution and climate change threaten our ocean, Croatian start-up SeaCras is stepping up with smart technology to help protect marine environments. Behind this innovation is a compelling story of scientific ambition turned entrepreneurial success and backed by the EU BlueInvest initiative.

Bringing science and fisheries together to tackle a hidden menace: marine litter. Scientists from Cagliari University and Fisheries Local Action Groups and Sardinian fishers joined forces to remove over two tonnes of waste from Sardinian waters.

In the heart of Seville, Spain, football fans can enjoy the comfort of their new stadium seats thanks to the joint efforts of the Gravity Wave project and the famous Real Betis football club. The seats were made from plastic waste from the Mediterranean. 

In the heart of the Bay of Biscay, where the azure waters meet the Spanish Basque Country, the BLUENET project set sail to tackle lost fishing gear, upcycling the ominous 'ghost-nets'.

MER-CLUB is an ambitious scientific project which aims to tackle the issue of mercury pollution in marine sediments. Mercury pollution is a global problem with large environmental, socio-economic and health impacts. 

Knowing where marine litter comes from is fundamental to achieve a healthy marine environment. And this is exactly what the Finnish EU-funded RoskatPois! (LitterAway!) project set out to do.