Major Underwater Cleanup: Over a Tonne of Waste Removed from the Seabed in Rovinj
16.6.2025
On Sunday, June 8, 2025, the company KING ICT and Klub za podvodne aktivnosti Rovinj (Rovinj Underwater Activities Club) organized a cleanup of the seabed in Rovinj. Tires, carpets, plastic, buckets, glass – this is just a part of what divers found in the depths near the pier in the very centre of Rovinj.
A total of 1,182 kg of waste was removed, comprising of 3,206 items – 1,440 glass, 1,078 plastic, and 624 metal objects, with as much as 36% of the waste consisting of former food and drink containers.
“KING ICT engages in corporate social responsibility activities throughout the year. This is perceptible the most during our team-building events, during which we always aim to include a humanitarian aspect and involve all our employees,” said Ivana Belošević, Senior PR and Digital Communication Specialist at KING ICT.
Davide Brattoni, president of the Rovinj Underwater Activities Club, stated: “This year, we carried out a cleanup operation in the centre of Rovinj, specifically near the main pier. We definitely removed over a tonne of waste. Our goal is to raise awareness among divers and the public who watched as we pulled the trash out. Still, I can safely say that over the past 10 years the amount of waste has decreased.”
Mirta Smodlaka Tanković, DSc, head of the Centre for Marine Research (CMR) Rovinj, stressed that a large amount of glass was recovered, but that, unfortunately, plastic is much more difficult to find. “We certainly found over 1,000 bottles and many cans… these are items that remain on the seabed. Unfortunately, plastic tends to float, which is why seabed cleanups like this don’t remove the majority of plastic waste,” she pointed out.
Once removed from the sea, the waste was sorted and properly disposed of in a way that reduces the quantity of waste in the environment. Everyone involved hopes this initiative will serve as an example for others to take part in similar actions, and raise public awareness of the importance of protecting the environment, the seabed, and marine biodiversity.
In addition to the underwater cleanup, the winners of sports competitions at the KING ICT teambuilding event selected four locally active associations to receive financial donations from KING ICT: “Udruga Autizam Istra,” “Naš san, njihov osmijeh,” “Doi Ada,” and “Žena Donna.”
