A marine clean-up operation at Larvotto has recovered 30 kilogrammes of waste and 530 cigarette butts in just one hour, highlighting the continuing impact of litter on Monaco’s coastal environment despite regular cleaning efforts.
The operation, organised by the Association Monégasque pour la Protection de la Nature (AMPN) in the Larvotto protected marine area, brought together dozens of divers and volunteers to remove rubbish from the seabed and surrounding coastline. The findings were reported by Monaco-Matin.
A total of 35 divers from the Monaco Underwater Exploration Club took part, alongside around 15 additional volunteers. The waste collected included glass bottles, metal objects, ropes and cigarette ends, much of which can remain in the marine environment for years.
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The results underline the difficulties of keeping the coastline free of pollution, even in areas that receive regular maintenance. Larvotto beach is cleaned daily by the Monaco Sanitation Company, yet hundreds of cigarette butts were still recovered during the short operation.
Jacqueline Gautier-Debernardi, director of the AMPN, noted that the volume of waste collected was broadly comparable to that found during the previous clean-up. The persistence of litter demonstrates the importance of combining practical conservation work with efforts to change public behaviour.
Discarded waste can have lasting consequences for marine ecosystems. As rubbish breaks down, plastics can fragment into microplastics, while other materials can damage habitats and affect marine life. Cigarette butts, in particular, can release harmful substances into the surrounding water.
The association also warns that waste can smother Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows, which play an important role in Mediterranean marine ecosystems, providing habitats for marine species and helping maintain coastal biodiversity.
The AMPN organises two clean-up operations each year across Monaco’s protected marine areas. These initiatives aim not only to remove rubbish but also to encourage residents and visitors to take greater responsibility for the environment.
Small actions can contribute to that effort. During a previous clean-up, a young boy was seen picking up a cigarette butt that another beachgoer had buried in the sand. The woman reportedly joined the clean-up after noticing his actions, illustrating how individual behaviour can encourage others to reconsider their habits.
The Mediterranean is home to a rich diversity of marine life, making the protection of its waters an important environmental priority for Monaco and neighbouring coastal communities.
The latest operation serves as a reminder that maintaining clean beaches and healthy marine habitats requires more than regular sanitation. Preventing rubbish from reaching the sea in the first place remains essential to protecting the Principality’s coastline and the wildlife that depends on it.
