Diving and plastic waste removal volunteering in Barcelona

The project

Single use plastic is causing an alarming amount of pollution in one of Europe's most beloved regions - the Mediterranean basin. A large amount of plastic waste is entering the sea near Barcelona from drains, rivers and sewage, as well as coming in on the tides. This plastic pollution not only ruins such a pretty area, but becomes harmful to sealife, enters the food chain and impacts on our ecosystem.

Volunteers on this project will join a passionate team of divers who are keen to clean up the sea around Barcelona. Each day, you will go diving to collect plastic, fishing nets and other marine debris from the sea. This is such an important effort, and in the last 3 months alone, over 100kg of plastic has been removed from the sea.

Project details

• Available for divers of all levels - whether you have never dived before or are a passionate diver. 1 week volunteers must have an existing diving qualification
• All participants will receive extra dive training and the opportunity to take further qualifications whilst in Barcelona for no extra cost
• You will complete daily dives with the team to collect plastic and fishing nets, and other marine debris, from the Mediterranean
• Once the dive is complete, volunteers separate and weigh the rubbish and record the data
• Collected rubbish is reused or recycled, where possible
• Volunteers are generally engaged in activities between 10:00 and 14:30

Free time in Barcelona

Once the day's work is done, your time is your own to relax at the beach, explore the cultural diversity of the city or try some of the renowned Spanish food. As part of your trip, you will take part in a city tour led by a member of the homeless community, which will show you elements of the city that are not seen by most tourists.

Accommodation and food

• Stay in an eco-hostel in Barcelona, sharing a dorm room with other volunteers
• Wifi available at the accommodation
• Three meals per day provided

Important extra information about the organisation of this project

• You will be with other international volunteers from around the world
• There is 24/7 emergency support
• Speak to someone who has done this project - our experienced team have volunteered on all of our projects and know them intimately
• You will need travel insurance to be able to join this project - we can offer advice of what to look for in a travel insurance policy