Cannes | 21 new ‘anti-macro waste’ bins

In Cannes, 21 ‘anti-macro waste’ bins have been installed in the drains of Place Gambetta.

This system aims to drastically reduce the discharge of solid waste into the sea, such as plastic, glass, aluminum, and cigarette butts, transported via rainwater. All of this is encapsulated in the slogan adopted by many French and European cities: ‘Here begins the sea.’

The Agglomération Cannes Lérins has installed these 21 bins for the recovery of macro waste in the sewers of Place Gambetta in Cannes, at a total cost of €12,763.

These are custom-made devices from the local company Pollustock, which capture solid waste such as plastic, glass, and even cigarette butts, preventing them from polluting the sea.

There are two objectives:

1. To strengthen the preservation of the natural heritage by recovering waste before it reaches the sea, thus integrating daily maintenance and awareness-raising operations on the terrestrial part of the habitat. Since GEMAPI (Management of Aquatic Environment and Flood Prevention) was taken over by the Agglomération de Cannes Lérins in June 2016, more than 1,682,070 m2 of watercourses and public valleys have been cleaned up, and more than 254 tons of macro waste have been removed from the area.
2. To have a detailed understanding of the nature and volume of the collected waste, in order to optimize equipment and anti-waste devices in the municipalities of the Agglomération Cannes Lérins. In January 2020, around thirty retention nets were already installed in Cannes, Mandelieu-La Napoule, and Théoule-sur-Mer at the end of rainwater pipes, and now at their entrance. To date, over 2 tons of dry waste have been collected throughout the territory.

In addition to these innovative solutions, awareness-raising, especially in schools, and the fight against antisocial behaviors are part of a comprehensive system aimed at preventing marine pollution.

This commitment has led to the installation, since 2016, of 800 signs saying ‘Here begins the sea,’ a pioneering slogan repeated in over 50 French and European municipalities.

Finally, since June 1, 2019, catering kiosks have committed to no longer using single-use plastic tableware, as well as, since 2020, all those operating on public domain, in accordance with the Cannes Municipality’s Zero Plastic Plan.