From the sea to energy: With “Green Plasma,” ghost nets become a resource
At the Marche Polytechnic University, the results of the experiment carried out within the PNRR MER Project were presented
Ancona, 1 December 2025 – Ghost nets that no longer suffocate the seabed but instead generate energy: this is the new perspective opened by Green Plasma, the technology capable of treating up to 100 kg of non-recyclable marine plastic per day, transforming it into syngas, a hydrogen-rich combustible gas that can be used to generate electricity directly in ports and collection areas. The system, tested within the PNRR MER – Ghost Nets project using abandoned and recovered fishing nets, was presented in Ancona and offers an innovative solution for managing some of the most difficult marine waste to treat.
The technology was illustrated on Friday, 28 November, during the conference “Green Plasma for the disposal of ghost nets”, hosted at the Marche Polytechnic University and presented on the occasion of the “Mediterranean Day”, an annual event that draws attention to the fragility of the sea and the urgency of more sustainable solutions. The experiment was carried out by Fondazione Marevivo, Castalia, and CoNISMa, in collaboration with the Marche Polytechnic University and the company IRIS.
Every year, 12 million tonnes of plastic—the equivalent of a garbage truck dumped into the water every minute—end up in the oceans, causing irreversible damage to marine ecosystems. Fishing gear such as nets, ropes, traps, pots, and polystyrene boxes, lost or abandoned at sea, accumulate on the surface and seabed, where they do not degrade. According to ISPRA data, 86.5% of waste found in the marine environment is linked to fishing activities. For these highly degraded materials, no effective recycling chains exist other than landfill disposal.
During its first two years, the MER – Ghost Nets project, coordinated by ISPRA, has already mapped 157 hectares of seabed, restored 25 hectares, removed over 400 abandoned fishing gear items—equivalent to 11 tonnes of plastic and metal materials—and freed vulnerable habitats populated by corals, gorgonians, sea urchins, crustaceans and numerous protected species. Activities will continue in 2026, consolidating recovery operations and providing further opportunities to apply Green Plasma technology in real operational contexts.
As part of the initiative, Fondazione Marevivo, Castalia and CoNISMa, in collaboration with the Marche Polytechnic University and IRIS, promoted the testing of the system, assessing its ability to offer an alternative to traditional disposal. Green Plasma makes it possible to “dispose of” waste directly on site, reducing both the costs and environmental impact associated with transporting it to landfills.
“The Green Plasma experiment represents a significant advancement in the management of ghost nets,” say ISPRA researchers.
“These are highly degraded materials that make recycling through conventional channels impossible. Demonstrating that they can be converted into an energy-rich gas directly at recovery sites means introducing a more environmentally sustainable and operationally efficient treatment method. The Green Plasma model is particularly replicable in port areas designated for the delivery of decommissioned fishing gear and is fully aligned with PNRR objectives and the needs of Mediterranean conservation.”
“Green Plasma is an effective solution because it avoids activating the entire logistics chain required for landfill disposal and reduces the resulting air pollution,” emphasizes Raffaella Giugni, Secretary General of Marevivo.
“However, we believe it is essential to identify alternative materials to plastic for fishing gear, to further raise awareness among fishers about the importance of not abandoning equipment at sea, and to promote tracking systems for nets through geolocation tools.”
“The Ghost Nets project allowed us to recover nearly 11,000 kg of abandoned fishing gear, preventing it from continuing to damage the marine environment,” reports Stefano Chianese, Project Manager of the Ghost Nets RTI.
“We adopted a centralized waste-management approach at the Labromare facility in Livorno, a Castalia consortium member, ensuring homogeneous and traceable treatment. Logistics optimization reduced transport distances by 54%, minimizing both costs and environmental impact. The nets were sent for recovery according to circular economy principles, upgrading plastics and metals. This is a concrete result showing how cooperation and innovation can truly protect marine ecosystems.”
“Removing ghost nets is a complex and delicate operation that requires careful assessment of seabed conditions and marine communities before, during and after the intervention,” states Professor Carlo Cerrano from the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DISVA) at the Marche Polytechnic University, representing CoNISMa.
“The prolonged presence of gear at sea promotes the settlement of organisms, with the risk of damaging protected or ecologically valuable species during recovery. For this reason, CoNISMa researchers supervised every phase directly in the field, ensuring maximum caution and constant scientific monitoring. In Ancona, some gorgonians were removed along with the nets and are now kept in aquaria awaiting relocation.”
“Green Plasma is a concrete example of how research and experimentation can contribute to addressing a highly complex environmental problem,” says Francesco Regoli, Delegate for Research at the Marche Polytechnic University.
“We are well aware of the consequences of marine plastic pollution, the importance of seabed-cleaning operations, and the difficulty in finding adequate solutions for the collected waste. The experiment demonstrated the effectiveness of Green Plasma technology in transforming a critical waste stream such as fishing nets into a gas with high calorific value, reducing waste mass by over 90%. Beyond the technology itself, Green Plasma also introduces a new paradigm: not only does it turn waste into a resource, it also creates a virtuous model where on-site energy generation encourages responsible behaviour, reduces the need for storage and transport, and helps raise awareness among citizens, operators, and companies about the importance of reducing this form of pollution".