MAELSTROM Objective 3: Feeding circular economy and sustainability
M.M. Parascanu, J. Clavell Díaz, M. Rodriguez Mijangos, M. Isasa Sarralde, D. Salle, A. Alonso Galdames, Life cycle assessment of an innovative seabed cleaning platform for marine litter removal in aquatic ecosystems, Environmental Technology & Innovation, Volume 37, 2025, 103971, ISSN 2352-1864, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2024.103971. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352186424004474) Abstract: Plastic consumption is projected to rise significantly over the coming decades, especially in developing economies, leading to increased plastic leakage into the environment and the accumulation of waste in ecosystems. Despite the urgent need to address this issue, the environmental implications of marine litter removal technologies have been largely unexplored. This paper addresses this gap by presenting the first comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the Seabed Cleaning Platform, a novel cable-based underwater robot developed by TECNALIA to remove litter selectively and efficiently from the seabed and lower water column. The Seabed Cleaning Platform introduces significant advancements in marine litter removal by enabling a more efficient and cost-effective process. Its innovative design allows for selective and automated removal of identified debris, ranging from microplastics (>5 mm) to large items. Additionally, the system is designed to operate in a manner that benefits the marine ecosystem, mitigating the environmental impact of traditional clean-up efforts. The LCA provides an in-depth evaluation of the platform's environmental performance throughout its entire life cycle. Results indicate that the use and maintenance phases account for 70.9 % of the total environmental impact. Sensitivity analyses highlight optimization opportunities, such as increasing operational time and waste collection volume to reduce the environmental impact per unit of waste removed and replacing the generator with a smaller, more efficient model to minimize fuel consumption. This study marks an important step in applying LCA to emerging marine litter removal technologies. Unlike analyses focused exclusively on operational efficiency, this research quantifies the environmental trade-offs and scalability potential of the Seabed Cleaning Platform. These insights provide valuable information for improving the environmental performance of marine litter removal technologies and guide future developments in this field. Keywords: Life cycle assessment; Marine litter removal; Seabed cleaning platform; Cable robotics
Life cycle assessment of an innovative seabed cleaning platform for marine litter removal in aquatic ecosystems
The objective is supporting the Circular Economy Strategy, the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy aiming at having all typologies of ML and plastics removed identified, sorted and reused. MAELSTROM will combine innovative processes to recover valuable material for a new life cycle, demonstrating that a sustainable plastics economy can be possible from marine litter and providing a strategic circular marine litter vision for the future. This will be pursued by involving diversified players in the plastic value chain and deploying a mix of ML treating technologies made of physical, chemical solutions. The conversion of solid waste feedstocks into chemical precursors, polymers, materials, etc. shall foster an ecosystem-based bio-industry, innovative manufacturing processes in line with the circular economy approach. The pyrolysis waste-to-energy plant will also produce primary power and 2nd generation fuel. This fuel will be utilized to co-supply MAELSTROM raft energy demands for the removal of seabed/water column ML. The set of ML derived products will be thoroughly analysed for new market prospects within a new industrial life cycle.
MAELSTROM Objective 3: Feeding circular economy and sustainability - archive
© MAELSTROM - Smart technology for MArinE Litter SusTainable RemOval and Management funded by the European Union, Programme H2020-EU.3.2.5.1. Grant agreement No 101000832. https://doi.org/10.3030/101000832.
Fantina Madricardo, Vanessa Moschino, ANTONIO PETRIZZO, and Taha Lahami. "MAELSTROM Objective 3: Feeding circular economy and sustainability - archive." ROHub. May 23 ,2025. https://doi.org/10.24424/pt4x-3k76.
System boundaries for the MAELSTROM project
Nerantzis, E. A. (2024). D8.6 Public summary on the Exploitation Plan. MAELSTROM Project. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15544282
D8.6 Public summary on the Exploitation Plan
Scarpa, M., & Sferra, D. (2024). D8.5 Public summary on Report on Costs Benefits Analysis. MAELSTROM Project. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15544342
D8.5 Public summary on Report on Costs Benefits Analysis
Anne-Sophie Høgh Mahler, Kærsgaard Hansen, C., Eltzholtz, J., Krogh Olsen, P., Bach Velling Villadsen, I., Betteto, G., & Garcia Arrieta, S. (2024). D6.6 Processed ML Quality assessment for marketisation. MAELSTROM Project. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15545143
D6.6 Processed ML Quality assessment for marketisation
Mendizabal, M., & Garcia, S. (2025). D6.3 Report on the marine thermoplastic recycling capabilities. MAELSTROM Project. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15545179
D6.3 Report on the marine thermoplastic recycling capabilities
Anne-Sophie Høgh Mahler, Kærsgaard Hansen, C., Eltzholtz, J., Krogh Olsen, P., Strandgaard Borgbjerg, A. M., Grønbech Møller, M., Volsmann Simonsen, M., Bach Velling Villadsen, I., & Faussone, G. C. (2025). D6.5 Low temperature pyrolysis treatment(s) of collected ML. MAELSTROM Project. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15545221
D6.5 Low temperature pyrolysis treatment(s) of collected ML
Magdalena Parascanu, M., & Clavell Diaz, J. (2024). D6.7 Report on the life cycle assessment (LCA) of the MAELSTROM automatic systems and marine litter processing technologies. MAELSTROM Project. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15545289
D6.7 Report on the life cycle assessment (LCA) of the MAELSTROM automatic systems and marine litter processing technologies
Betteto, G., Poletto, D., de Carolis, C., & Sferra, D. (2025). D6.4 Report on the ML processed through mechanical recycling for hard to recycle plastics and organic wastes. MAELSTROM Project. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15546167
D6.4 Report on the ML processed through mechanical recycling for hard to recycle plastics and organic wastes
Smart technology for MArinE Litter SusTainable RemOval and Management
The conversion of solid waste feedstocks into chemical precursors, polymers, materials, etc. shall foster an ecosystem-based bio-industry, innovative manufacturing processes in line with the circular economy approach.
Economy, business and finance/Economic sector/Chemicals/Synthetic and plastic chemicals
Economy, business and finance/Economic sector/Energy and resource
MAELSTROM will combine innovative processes to recover valuable material for a new life cycle, demonstrating that a sustainable plastics economy can be possible from marine litter and providing a strategic circular marine litter vision for the future.
This fuel will be utilized to co-supply MAELSTROM raft energy demands for the removal of seabed/water column ML.
MAELSTROM AI Sorting Robot and Recycling Processes
Sorting collected marine litter at GEES facilities