WE WANT TO GET PLASTIC-FREE WATERS

WE WANT A CLEAR PLASTIC-FREE HYDROSPHERE

The whole system of the Earth’s waters, namely THE HYDROSPHERE

« Every year, an estimated              8 million tons of plastic
garbage ends up in the oceans »

Expanse of macro- and microplastic debris in the sea, due to irreversible earth's hydrosphere plastic pollution

TERRIFYING !!

And even worse, nobody does anything to actively remove these tons of plastic from the Earth’s waters (the hydrosphere).
 
Photo of floating plastic waste, because nobody cleans up the waters, i.e. the hydrosphere
Plastic pollution, of course, does not only affect the oceans, but the Mediterranean sea, the lakes and rivers of the whole Earth too;  (the hydrosphere, indeed) ;  moreover, through the different life forms of these environments, the plastic particles they ingest enter the food chain, up to us human beings. Macro- and microplastics are the two different elements of the pollution.
Image of microplastics underwater, due to not yet removed plastic waste from oceans, i.e hydrosphere
Macroplastics are the particles or objects greather than 5 mm (i.e. plastic sealing washers and other mechanical components;  cotton buds, cutlery, plates, bottles, bottle caps, cans, drums; cars components, fishing nets etc. etc). Microplastics are the particles smaller than 5 mm;  some of them derive from the disintegration of macroplastics due to environmental and  atmospheric agents; some from cosmetic products (for esample the micro spheres) or from nano-technology products.

we have decided to actively and concretely intervene to reduce this earth pollution;  consequently, we have developed two different cleaning technologies, respectively for macro- and microplastics. Through these technologies we will be able to remove the polluting elements from  waters,  quickly and effectively.

To reach our goal we need your help and your cooperation.

We do not accept funding from political parties, governments and governmental institutions.

Seagull flying free in the sky, free like us.

WE WANT TO BE FREE TO TELL THE FACTS AS THEY ARE and to intervene in situations dangerous to the environment, without being limited by anyone who wants to protect their own or third party’s economic interests.

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Be an Active Protagonist

of this epic and epocal initiative!

ABOUT US

ABOUT THE HYDROSPHERE ASSOCIATION


HYDROSPHERE ASSOCIATION is a Swiss social-utility independent, nonpolitical, nondenominational and nonprofit association, internationally operating .  The safeguard and preservation of nature are the general purpose;  in particular the aim is to free the waters of plastic pollution, intervening with the effective macro- and microplastics removal technical solutions developed.  (Statutes)
Flamingos in a pond with clear water and a clean environment

The HYDROSPHERE ASSOCIATION philosophy is to operate in a pragmatic, concrete, active and effective way, both  to pursuit the social goals, and to organize the internal structures and procedures. This philosophy is also the basis of the development of the macro- and microplastics removal technical solutions

 

Veterinarian ready to operate, in operating theater: patient, a cat covered with green sheets; pragmatic way

Photo by: Pranidchakan Boonrom from Pexels

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HYDROSPHERE ASSOCIATION is born from:

a) the desire of the founders to put a quick and concrete remedy to the horrible situation of the Earth’s waters; in fact, the level of waters pollution due to macro- and microplastic debris  is now very high. The resulting damages to the environment and to all life forms (including humans) are regrettably incalculable and almost irreversible. Indeed,   this situation is now dangerously close to the  PONR (point of no return), as various international studies  highlight .

b) the sad evidence that no one has taken active measures to remove plastic debris from Earth’s waters. As a matter of facts, the few existing attempts aim only to passive interventions to  decrease the input of new waste.  Just some associations are locally involved in cleaning up the beaches and the seabed.

Plastic bottles and other plastic waste floating on the sea; the interventions to get clear plastic-free hydrosfere not yet started

Public domain photo. Courtesy Emilian Robert Vicol

 

HYDROSPHERE ASSOCIATION TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS for the active removal of macro- and microplastics from  the waters.

Two are  the polluting elements that Hydrosphere Association  wants to remove from the  Earth’s waters: 

1 – macroplastic litter (objects greater than 5 mm) and

2 –  microplastic debris (objects smaller than 5 mm)

Clearly, the dimensions of these elements involve two different ways of tackling the problem, and two different solutions:

  • Macroplastics removal: The solution of the Hydrosphere Association team  involves the use of fishing boats and native fishermen in the area concerned, as well as a net specifically designed to capture and remove from water the plastic litter greater than 6 cm, excluding fishes, up to three meters depth.

Water  volume cleaning capacity of the 100m size net:  up to 900 m³/s (depending on the net hight)

  • Microplastic filtering: The Hydrosphere Association team has devised a special filtering machine, to be applied on ships and on the banks of rivers. The filters  can filter up to 3 meters depth. Depending on the size of the rivers, the filters sizes can vary from 1 m to 3 m depth.

The filtering machine is composed of three sections: 

a pneumatic arm for supporting the filtering unit in the water;
the filtering unit with a collection device for captured particles;
a shaped hull to divert objects greater than 6 cm.

Filtering capacity of the larger version:  140 m³/s;  mesh sizes up to US standard 20 (0.841 mm)

 

 

 

The photos will be posted after the equipments  positive testing.

MANY THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING!

 

 

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MISSION

OUR MISSION

Generally:

Clean up and keep the hydrosphere clean

In detail, to remove the macro- and microplastic debris as follow:

ON SHORT TERM

(better to say in a VERY SHORT term, considering the actual extremely high  plastic pollution level of the earth’s waters )

The first step will be:

to intervene with ACTIVE water cleaning up solutions, that is the macro- and microplastic debris quick removal from the waters’  surface down to 3 meters deep; for this purpose we have devised appropriate tecnologies, not harmful for life forms. The first very short term target is the removal of the microplastic debris from Lake Geneva, very heavily polluted;  afterward we will clean up a part of the Mediterranean Cetacean Sanctuary, more exactly the area between Corsica, Liguria and Tuscany. These operations will allow us to fine-tuning the technologies, and to start to clean up the hydrosphere, beginning from  the oceans.

Floating plastic bottles on the Lake Geneva

Lake Geneva - copyright ©Laurent Geslin

Second step:

in the cleaned areas, installation of barriers and filters at river mouths to stop the intake of new waste in the seas.

Following steps:

reclamation of the polluted areas in the Pacific Ocean (2), in the Atlantic Ocean (2) and in the Indian Ocean (1) by removing the macro- and microplastic debris; after that, we will install barriers at river mouths to keep the reclaimed waters clean.

Map of the 6 plastic pollution gyres in the world's oceans

ON MEDIUM TERM

Research and distribution of products and plastic-alternative materials non polluting and harmless for life forms, as well as to search for solutions for clearing heavy metals and toxic inorganic substances such as fluorides, chlorides and cyanide off waters and soil. Research for useful, economical, plastic recycling solutions that have limited possibility to further pollute the environment; for this purpose we also will set up scholarships and awards for innovative and practical ideas.

ON LONG TERM

Preservation of reclaimed environments, environmental-awawreness and education in schools and companies; seafloor and soil cleaning up from toxic chemical elements.

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THE FOUNDERS TEAM

THE FOUNDERS

Team composition

The  Founders team  is composed of professionals, each one of them expert in his field; all the Founders are strongly committed to solving the problem of the  Earth’s waters plastic pollution .

Nicola Rubortone, President, image

Nicola Rubortone

President

Entrepreneur, good food and animals lover, strenuous defender of the environment 

Marcello Micheli, Vice President and Executive Director, photo

Marcello Micheli

Vicepresident and executive manager

Businessman, sailor, diver, sculptor, environmentalist

Silvie Vittorelli, Cashier, photo

Silvie Vittorelli

Cashier

Accountant,  lover of the sea and of music, bent on protecting the nature

Paria Shahrabi Soleiman, Secretary, image

Paria Shahrabi Soleimani

Secretary

Master in graphic design and visual communication, photographer, horsewoman, sea lover, environmentalist

Martina Capriotti, Scientific Director, photo

Martina Capriotti

Marine sector director

Marine biologist, PhD Life and Health Sciences, National Geographic Explorer, Sky Ocean Rescue Scholar, water pollution and plastic pollution expert, scuba diver, Maritime Rescue trainer, environmentalist

Piero Vittorelli, scientific Director

Piero Vittorelli

Chemical sector director

PhD Chemistry, researcher, phytosanitary products analysis and development, swimmer, good food lover, environmentalist

Andrea Rossi, Member of the Board, photo

Andrea Rossi

Board member - Human resources

Healtcare professional, scuba diver, international medical auxiliary volunteer, environmentalist

Claudio Micheli, member of the Board, photo

Claudio Micheli

Board member - Hightech sector

MSc in Automation & Control Engineering, specialized in UAVs Flight Controls design & development, environmentalist, free diver, jogger

Hussain "Al" Fadhil, Member of the Board, photo

Hussain "Al" Fadhil

Board member - creativity sector

Artist, painter, cultural mediator, promoter of art in public and private places, environmentalist

Patrizio Magro, Member of the Board, photo

Patrizio Magro

Board member - Chemical sector

Chemist,  entrepreneur, environmentalist, good food and sea lover