GasanMamo Insurance joins the battle against marine waste and pollution

It is no secret that the world's oceans are full of floating waste and plastic, which not only pollute the natural ecosystem but also pose a very real threat to its inhabitants. GasanMamo Insurance is jumping on the green bandwagon in a bid to help the fight against ocean waste and is collaborating with the local NGO Zibel to sponsor a seabin in the newly constructed Garden Marina in Ta’ Xbiex.

The Seabin project, which originated in Australia, addresses the global issue of waste affecting our oceans. The project aims at approaching the challenge from multiple angles with a key emphasis on education, research and technology.

So how does it work? The seabin is a floating rubbish bin that is placed in the water at marinas, harbours, yacht clubs and ports, collecting all the flotsam and jetsam from the sea. Water is sucked in from the surface of the bin and passed through the bag filter inside it. The water is then pumped back into the marina, leaving waste and debris trapped in the bag to be disposed of properly. Interestingly the seabin also has the potential to collect a percentage of oils and pollutants floating on the water surface which are so prevalent in busy marinas.

“Marine pollution and plastic waste are increasingly serious issues both globally and here in Malta,” said Mark Mamo, GasanMamo Insurance’s general manager. “As an island surrounded by sea, we felt an obligation to put some of our CSR funds towards this environment initiative, which will help address this problem.”