The story of 'Zoe,' the sea turtle, is a powerful reminder that the fight against plastic pollution is a long and difficult one. In 2019, 'Zoe' was brought to the ARCHELON Sea Turtle Rescue Centre with a serious, deliberate head injury. After three years of dedicated care by volunteers and the rehabilitation team, he was finally released back into the Mediterranean. But two years later, the same turtle was found weak on a beach in Crete. Thankfully, he was identified by the ARCHELON tag on his flipper. This time, 'Zoe' had ingested a large amount of plastic debris. So, what's happening? Are we making any headway in tackling this plastic waste problem in our seas?

Greece, like many other EU countries, has made significant strides in reducing plastic bag usage in recent years. A new report from Eurostat shows that 29.8 billion lightweight plastic carrier bags were consumed in the EU in 2022, marking a decrease of 4.7 billion bags compared to 2021. In other words, consumption dropped by 14%, reaching 66.6 bags per person, compared to 77.4 bags in 2021.

All EU countries have now implemented measures to reduce consumption, in accordance with the Plastic Bags Directive, which aims to cut the use of plastic bags to no more than 40 per person per year by December 31, 2025. Despite the progress made, in Greece, consumption in 2022 was still around 80 bags per person.

Despite the ban on single-use plastics in Greece, many products continue to be sold on the market, in violation of the law. Tolerance for lawbreaking and a lack of adequate controls allow many businesses to continue using prohibited plastic products.

Plastic pollution seriously threatens marine ecosystems and wildlife, including sea turtles. By 2025, plastic bag consumption needs to be further reduced. Let's remember Zoe's journey every time we visit the supermarket, the grocery shop, the farmer's market, or whenever we come across single-use plastic. It's a reminder of the impact our choices have on our planet.

But what happened to 'Zoe'? After several months of care at the ARCHELON Rescue Centre, he regained his strength and was released back into the sea in December 2024. Zoe's ordeal is a common reality for many sea turtles. A study conducted by ARCHELON in 2018 revealed that out of 36 sea turtles examined, over 70% had ingested plastic. More than 250 plastic pieces were counted, with most found in young individuals. The average number of plastic pieces was 11 per turtle, located in the stomach and intestines, including fishing lines, fragments of various plastic bags, and microplastics.

ARCHELON continues the fight to protect sea turtles and Greece's marine environment. You can be part of the solution too.

• Replace plastic bags with reusable ones.
• Reduce plastic waste.
• Support businesses that respect the environment.

Learn more about the Eurostat research: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20241112-2**