Reclaiming Waters: Hyundai Motor and Healthy Seas Launch Major Operation in Western Greece
- Hyundai Motor Company and Healthy Seas continue their fourth year of partnership with a yearlong initiative to combat pollution from abandoned fish farms in Greece
- Global effort prioritizes environmental protection and promotes circular economy
- Recovered marine litter, including large fish farm nets and various plastics, to be recycled into new products, such as floormats made from ECONYL® yarn for Hyundai Motor’s IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6 and all-new Santa Fe in Europe
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor) and Healthy Seas have launched an extensive clean-up operation along the western coast of Greece to kick off their 2024 activities. Targeting abandoned fish farms, this yearlong commitment began with a 10-day intensive clean-up as well as education and community involvement activities, aiming to reclaim polluted and dangerous waters and foster healthier marine environments for local communities.
Building on their renewed partnership, Hyundai Motor and Healthy Seas are expanding their efforts to address marine pollution on a larger scale. Dedicated to a sustainable future, they will work together to combat marine pollution, restore marine ecosystems, and promote a circular economy through a series of global clean-ups and educational initiatives throughout the year.
It is inspiring to witness the profound impact of our collaboration with Healthy Seas. Our joint efforts in 2024 aim to extend our reach, addressing the global challenge of marine pollution. This mission goes back to the very beginnings of our partnership and underscores the remarkable outcomes that can be achieved when diverse stakeholders unite for a more sustainable future.
Tackling marine pollution in western Greece
From May 15 to 24, Hyundai Motor and Healthy Seas launched their 2024 activities with a 10-day clean-up operation in western Greece. Targeting waters heavily polluted by abandoned fish farms, volunteer divers from Ghost Diving focussed on removing large nets and debris that pose serious threats to marine life.
Timelapse of the cleanup, filmed by Michael Westreicher
Despite the challenges, volunteers successfully removed numerous pollutants, including ring pipes, fish farm nets, polystyrene parts and other harmful debris. These materials will be sorted and recycled, with nylon parts being regenerated into ECONYL® yarn by Aquafil. This contributes to new, sustainable products like the floormats in Hyundai Motor’s IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6 and all-new Santa Fe in Europe.
Impact of the operation
The clean-up addressed significant ecological damage caused by abandoned fish farms, which release debris, plastics and pollutants into the marine environment, disrupting marine ecosystems and endangering flora and fauna. By removing these hazards, Hyundai Motor and Healthy Seas are restoring safe waters for local communities, who depend on clean seas for tourism and leisure.
In total 42.7 tons of marine litter were retrieved, of these 11.3 tons were fish farming nets.
The collected marine litter will be recycled, including large nets used in fish farming operations found entangled on the seabed, surface structures such as rings or cages made of pipes and polystyrene, and various plastics washed ashore. Abandoned sites also led to the accumulation of additional litter on the beaches.
Our mission goes beyond just cleaning up; it’s about reclaiming these waters for marine life and the people who depend on them. Collaboration is key in projects like this, where the private sector can support the public, raise awareness on pressing issues, and offer tangible solutions. We are grateful to our partners and volunteers who are making this possible, especially to Hyundai for the four-year collaboration.
Image credit: Healthy Seas Foundation
‘Hyundai Continue’
Under Hyundai Motor’s ‘Progress for Humanity’ vision, the company aims to create shared value by scaling social impacts and building a sustainable business ecosystem, among others. This mission inspired Hyundai Motor Company’s latest CSV (Creating Shared Value) initiative, ‘Hyundai Continue.’
‘Hyundai Continue’ focuses on three core areas: Continue Earth, Continue Mobility and Continue Hope. Continue Earth reflects Hyundai Motor’s commitment to environmental advocacy and combatting climate change. Continue Mobility aims to democratize and enhance mobility safety through technology and innovation, while Continue Hope focuses on educating and nurturing the growth of future generations.
Hyundai Motor’s CSV strategy in Europe, based on ‘Hyundai Continue,’ emphasizes three main pillars: Environmental Protection and Circular Economy, Innovation, and People. The partnership with Healthy Seas is a crucial component of the first pillar, fighting ocean pollution while fostering a circular economy.
Disclaimer: CO2 and emissions data
- Fuel consumption combined for the Hyundai Santa Fe 1.6 T-GDI Hybrid with 6AT 2WD in l/100 km: 6.9 - 6.4; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 157 - 146 (WLTP)
- Fuel consumption combined for the Hyundai Santa Fe 1.6 T-GDI Hybrid with 6AT 4WD in l/100 km: 7.6 - 6.9; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 172 - 157 (WLTP)
- Fuel consumption combined for the Hyundai Santa Fe 1.6 T-GDI Plug-in Hybrid in l/100 km: 1.6; electricity consumption combined in kWh/100 km: 18.1; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 37 (WLTP)
- Fuel consumption combined for the Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi with 8DCT 2WD in l/100 km: 6.3 - 6.1; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 166 - 161 (WLTP)
- Fuel consumption combined for the Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi with 8DCT 4WD in l/100 km: 6.9 - 6.7; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 181 - 176 (WLTP)
- Electricity consumption combined for the Hyundai IONIQ 5 63 kWh (19" alloy rims) with 2WD in kWh/100 km: 15.6; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 0 (WLTP)
- Electricity consumption combined for the Hyundai IONIQ 5 84 kWh (19" alloy rims) with 2WD in kWh/100 km: 16.0; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 0 (WLTP)
- Electricity consumption combined for the Hyundai IONIQ 5 84 kWh (20" alloy rims) with 2WD in kWh/100 km: 17.0; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 0 (WLTP)
- Electricity consumption combined for the Hyundai IONIQ 5 84 kWh (19" alloy rims) with 4WD in kWh/100 km: 16.8; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 0 (WLTP)
- Electricity consumption combined for the Hyundai IONIQ 5 84 kWh (20" alloy rims) with 4WD in kWh/100 km: 18.2; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 0 (WLTP)
- Electricity consumption combined for the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Line 84 kWh (20" alloy rims) with 2WD in kWh/100 km: 17.2; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 0 (WLTP)
- Electricity consumption combined for the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Line 84 kWh (20" alloy rims) with 4WD in kWh/100 km: 18.1; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 0 (WLTP)
- Electricity consumption combined for the Hyundai IONIQ 6 53 kWh with 2WD in kWh/100 km: 13.9; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 0 (WLTP)
- Electricity consumption combined for the Hyundai IONIQ 6 77.4 kWh (18” alloy rims) with 2WD in kWh/100 km: 14.3; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 0 (WLTP)
- Electricity consumption combined for the Hyundai IONIQ 6 77.4 kWh (20” alloy rims) with 2WD in kWh/100 km: 16.0; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 0 (WLTP)
- Electricity consumption combined for the Hyundai IONIQ 6 77.4 kWh (18” alloy rims) with 4WD in kWh/100 km: 15.1; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 0 (WLTP)
- Electricity consumption combined for the Hyundai IONIQ 6 77.4 kWh (20” alloy rims) with 4WD in kWh/100 km: 16.9; CO2 emissions combined in g/km: 0 (WLTP)
Contacts
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Florian Büngener
Head of Department PR & Communications
fbuengener@hyundai-europe.com LinkedIn ProfileAdriana Cerami
Head of Section Corporate & Brand PR
acerami@hyundai-europe.comFrank Plaschka
Head of Product PR & Communications
fplaschka@hyundai-europe.comKatharina Kupper
Hyundai Newsroom Lead
kkupper@hyundai-europe.comElvira Herrera
Corporate Communications Expert
eherrera@hyundai-europe.comAnja Wente
Product PR & Communications Expert
awente@hyundai-europe.comÁngel Pino Pérez
Product Communications Professional
apinoperez@hyundai-europe.comMaria Bricio
Corporate & Brand Communications Expert
