The ALT-Waste project

CONTEXT AND MAIN ISSUES

Accra, the capital of Ghana, is home to the world’s largest second-hand textile market. Every week, 15 million new items are unloaded, mainly from northern countries. Much of this waste ends up in the Korle lagoon, permanently polluting beaches and destroying marine habitats, particularly those of turtles. With the rise of fast-fashion, this textile pollution is worsening and spreading into the ocean.

GOALS

Map underwater textile pollution in Accra using an autonomous robot, and show the consequences for sea turtles, ecosystems and food fisheries.

METHOD

An autonomous underwater robot will be deployed to collect unprecedented data on the extent of underwater textile pollution. This mapping will enable us to better understand the dispersion of waste and analyze its effects on turtle habitats and lagoon biodiversity. The results obtained will be used to alert political decision-makers and propose appropriate conservation solutions.

HOW IS THIS PROJECT INNOVATIVE?

This project stands out for its approach, combining seabed exploration and local participation. It provides unprecedented data on a little-studied type of pollution: textile waste at sea. The use of an underwater ROV, coupled with the knowledge of fishermen and the actions of clean-up teams, enables a multi-scale analysis of the problem, from mapping the seabed to assessing the impact on ecosystems.