The European Commission’s #EUBeachCleanup campaign was launched from Limassol’s seafront on Saturday morning, with EU commissioner for fisheries and oceans Costas Kadis and Limassol mayor Yiannis Armeftis taking part in a coastal cleanup.

The event followed the conclusion of European Maritime Day 2026, which was hosted in Limassol and brought together around 1,000 participants from across Europe to discuss the future of the continent’s seas.

Kadis said the cleanup of the rocks along Limassol’s promenade was both a practical and symbolic initiative.

“Pollution is one of the main threats to the marine environment,” he said, adding that an estimated 730 tonnes of plastic end up in the Mediterranean every day.

Commissioner Kadis and the Limassol Mayor Yiannis Armeftis take part in the clean-up

He warned that marine pollution ultimately affects humans through the food chain, adding that initiatives such as the beach cleanup aim not only to remove waste but also to raise public awareness.

Kadis also welcomed the fact that the #EUBeachCleanup campaign, jointly organised by the European Commission and the United Nations, was officially launched in Limassol and will continue throughout the year.

“With the support of Limassol municipality and all the volunteers, I believe we are making a strong start,” he said.

The Limassol mayor described the event as a day of cooperation, environmental awareness and collective responsibility towards the island’s seas and coastlines.

He said the sea is an inseparable part of Cyprus’ identity and history and stressed the need to protect it from pollution and marine litter, which he described as one of the greatest environmental challenges of the time.

During the event, Kadis also visited information stands run by organisations and Limassol municipality representatives before joining volunteers in the cleanup effort.