Monacollecte: success achieved

We told you about it. And told you about it again. And told you about it some more. Now just look at the results! 

On Friday 25 and Saturday 26 February, on the Port Hercule–Quai Albert I esplanade, the Department of Urban Amenities and the Monegasque Sanitation Company (SMA), in partnership with Monaco City Hall and the MC2D association (Monaco Sustainable Development), organised the first ever community event on: 1) waste collection and recycling, and 2) reuse of items. 

Over the course of the two days, SMA made available its waste recycling and treatment facilities, allowing visitors to get rid of some items that cannot be disposed of in the usual bins (panes of glass, paints, solvents, gas bottles, electronic and electrical waste, etc.). Visitors could also donate items that they no longer used – clothes, toys, books, IT equipment, small electrical appliances, etc. – to charities attending the event.

Monacollecte was sponsored by Samuel Le Bihan, an actor who is committed to this cause and who co-founded Earthwake together with François Danel, the former Executive Director of Action Contre la Faim. Earthwake aims to prevent plastic waste from ending up in the oceans.

There were also numerous stands focusing on waste collection, sorting, recycling and processing, as well as free events such as electric waste disposal lorry tours and exhibitions of drawings on the theme of waste collection by Year 4 (CE2) pupils at the Principality’s schools.

The event was much anticipated by both residents and organisers alike, and was not dissimilar to the first-ever Monegasque repairathon, organised by the Mission for Energy Transition and Monaco City Hall in November last year. 

It was a genuine collective and cooperative effort to create a wonderful opportunity to share, help other people and show solidarity. It is to be hoped that the event will be repeated, to help people throw less things away and above all extend the life of our consumer goods!