GROSSETO – Develop and implement innovative solutions (such as drip lines and biodegradable mulching sheets to protect the land) for the recycling and recovery of agricultural plastic that significantly reduce its environmental impact by promoting new circular economy approaches thanks to experimentation programs for recycling technologies, training and awareness initiatives for farmers, studies for the constant monitoring of the results of the actions undertaken and a robust synergy between the consortium bodies that allows the adoption of this project on a national scale. are the ambitious objectives of Water Way Plastic Free, agreement between Anbi Tuscany, Anbi Emilia-Romagna, Emiliano Romagnolo Canal And Reclamation Consortium 6 Southern Tuscany based on an Acqua Campus project (cer technical-scientific laboratory by Anbi) which aims to promote the recycling and recovery of plastic used in agriculture through a series of technical-scientific collaboration activities, experimentation and dissemination in the irrigation sector and the environment.
The agreement between the four bodies involved was signed within the “Macfrut” international fruit and vegetable fair, with the signing of the interregional convention to raise awareness against the abandonment of plastic in the environment. To affix the acronyms: Raffaella Zucaro, coordinator of Anbi Emilia-Romagna; Nicola Dalmonte, president of the Cer Consortium; Marco Bottino, president of Anbi Toscana; and Fabio Bellacchi, president of the Consorzio di Bonifica 6 Toscana Sud. Today, at the Grosseto University Centre, the four bodies met again as part of the initiatives linked to the National Reclamation and Irrigation Week to formalize the land agreement Tuscany, on the occasion of a new important conference on the topic aimed at keeping the attention on the topic alive and as high as possible, reiterating the need to raise awareness among professionals to promote the adoption of materials, strategies and good agronomic practices to increase awareness of the use of plastic in agriculture and to encourage where possible the use of innovative products such as bioplastics: products with properties similar to “traditional” plastics, but derived from renewable, biodegradable and compostable raw materials.
The initiative, moderated by Martina Bencistà, design engineer of the Consorzio di Bonifica 6 Toscana Sud, was attended by the leaders of Anbi Emilia Romagna and Anbi Toscana, whose greetings were followed by technical-scientific interventions by Domenico Solimando, head of the Studies sector and agronomic research, head of the Irrigation Research Center and the “Acqua Campus” Nature Center; and Marco Nicosia, design engineer coordinator of the technical table on Cb6 irrigation. This will be followed by an open debate with representatives of the trade associations present: Coldiretti, Confagricoltura, Cia, Agrarian Consortiums of Italy, Ente Terre Regionali Toscane, Cooperativa Vallebruna, Cooperativa Raspollino, Cooperativa Terre dell’Etruria, Cooperativa Pomonte. Finally, after signing the agreement, the conclusions entrusted to Fabio Bellacchi, president of the Consorzio di Bonifica 6 Toscana Sud.
“Eliminating the use of plastic in agriculture is a challenge in which our Consortium has been engaged for some time, trying to reduce its use and prevent its abandonment – he concluded Fabio Bellacchi, president of the Consorzio di Bonifica 6 Toscana Sud –. Not only that, we have also committed ourselves to innovative projects such as the plant in the San Rocco canal which collects plastic and prevents it from reaching the sea. With this agreement, we are then committed to raising awareness towards the conscious use of bioplastic, a material that could allow us to obtain important results while respecting the environment, which must represent a priority. The one signed with Anbi and Cer is an agreement that can help us create a new model and we hope that local companies will also understand its importance”.
“The Reclamation and Irrigation Consortia confirm themselves as leaders of innovative experiences to protect the environment. The Water Way Plastic Free project proposes a different cultural approach, encouraging the use of new agronomic practices, encouraging the recycling of plastic and the use of organic plastic. It addresses farmers as the first custodians of the ecosystem; everyone must do their part: the consortium bodies are doing so, for example, by adopting the criteria of gentle maintenance of waterways and thus making the times of human intervention compatible with the rhythms of nature – he commented Francesco Vincenzipresident of the national association of land and irrigation water management and protection consortia (Anbi).
“The synergy with the world of agriculture has always been central for the Tuscan Land Reclamation Consortia – he declared Marco Bottino, president of Anbi Toscana – both on the part of the Consortia, in the irrigation sector, with projects to support Tuscan agriculture which in recent years has been particularly suffering from the issue of drought, and through the now consolidated collaborations with agricultural companies for ordinary maintenance activities of waterways. With this convention a further front opens up, that of environmental protection through the fight against the use and abuse of plastic which I am sure will see reclamation and agriculture work side by side once again”.
“From today, the consortium world of Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany will effectively face together the environmental battle of the fight against plastic – he underlined Nicola Dalmonte, president of the Emiliano Romagnolo Canal – thanks to the adoption of innovative and high-performance approaches based on bioeconomy and circular economy in the agricultural sector. We are determined to win this challenge and certain that, united and together, the benefits that will arise will be multiple not only for farmers, but for the entire community”.
