The power of plastic

Barceloneta Proa a la Mar

Sandwiched between the Mediterranean Sea and the Port of Barcelona, the neighbourhood of Barceloneta and its narrow streets have long provided the city’s best seafarers and fishermen. The borough’s flag has the sea running through its heart and generations of its sons and daughters have applied their passion for the sea in trades connected to the water, including many at MB92. 

It is this spirit that drives Barceloneta Proa a la Mar, a local initiative aimed at re-using material such as the plastic protection applied during refit works, as well as providing opportunities to local people to learn new skills to be applied in the job market. 

Esther Zamora, Coordinator of the initiative and Barceloneta resident explained that “Barceloneta Proa en el Mar (Barceloneta Community Plan) is a local socio-economic development project that was born in 2013 driven from the neighbourhood and community base (bottom-up), and which works inside the parameters of the social economy surrounding three axes: employment, training and the local economy. All with the sea as the identity and backbone of the project. 

The process following first use to second life begins with a selection process on-site at MB92 Barcelona, where used cardplast protective sheeting is classified based on its exposure to materials such as paint or other abrasives that will determine if the material can be re-used on another refit project, sent to the Proa a la mar workshop in the neighbourhood, or must be correctly disposed. 

As an MB92 policy, cardplast is re-used on refit projects wherever possible. Much of the material allocated to protect low traffic areas or has not been exposed to damaging material, has re-use potential and together with our local providers, Nautiel and Uniservice, have implemented a classification system that guarantees effectiveness while reducing wastage. 

All material to be sent to Barceloneta Proa a la Mar is set aside and undergoes a treatment and cleaning process before arrival at the workshop. Once on-site, skilled craftmanship is employed to produce a range of new life goods including rucksacks, beach bags and tote bags under the brand name Takatà, named in honour of a local Barceloneta game. 

Marc Hervas, MB92 Group Sustainability Coordinator added that “one of our main focus areas is to continually improve our circular economy performance and so initiatives such as this, that also play such an important role within our local community, are fantastic examples of the potential available through sustainability. We are very positive about this collaboration and excited to see how it develops.” 

For more information on this initiative, please visit placomunitaribarceloneta.org