Volunteers clean Italian coasts and waterways, collecting over 9 tons of waste

On 7 June 2026 the eighth edition of the Spazzapnea beach‑and‑seabed cleaning operation took place in 14 Italian locations, from Ancona to Trapani. A total of 619 volunteers organised into 200 squads gathered 8 070 kg of rubbish from beaches, underwater sites and other water bodies. The initiative, launched in Genoa in 2018 and backed by Apnea Academy, WWF‑SUB and the Italian Navy, will continue with a follow‑up clean‑up at Omegna’s Lake Orta on 4 July.

In the same period, the fourth edition of the “Puliamo il Bacino” campaign was held across the Venice metropolitan area. More than 1 000 volunteers from 32 municipalities worked over several weekends in May, removing over 1 000 kg of waste—including glass, plastic, metal, discarded furniture and appliances—from local waterways and public spaces. The event was coordinated by Venezia Ambiente and supported by local schools, universities and NGOs such as Legambiente and WWF, highlighting community involvement in waste‑management and recycling efforts.