Clean Mont Blanc

The Mont Blanc, one of the most iconic mountains in the world and the highest point in the alps. This beautiful massif located in France, Italy and Switzerland has been the stage for many incredible human accomplishments and adventures. Since before its first recorded summiting in 1776, people to-date go into this massif to challenge themselves, relax and recuperate amongst the magnificent vistas that this area of the world has to offer. With all this activity around the Mont Blanc, there comes human impacts on its environment. One of the most telling signs of our human activity on the Mont Blanc is the melting of the 70 glaciers that can be found within the massif and in particular the spectacular retreat of the Mer de Glace, the second longest glacier in the alps.

There are other signs however that can be a bit harder to see. DOLOMITE is supporting the CLEAN MONT BLANC project led by the SUMMIT FOUNDATION and AQUALTI. This cross-border project will see a multidisciplinary team go around the iconic Mont Blanc Massif and collect water samples for microplastic testing as well as organize volunteer clean-up days in the three countries surrounding the massif: France, Italy, and Switzerland. The sampling and testing of water for microplastics by AQUALTI will allow researchers to better understand the mechanisms of transfer and accumulation of microplastic particles in the ecosystem, whilst the clean-up campaign led by SUMMIT FOUNDATION will build awareness on the problem as well as the effects that humans have on the mountain environment.

We are pleased to be able to support such a project that will help further the understanding of the environmental impacts that affect our playgrounds and contribute to helping to clean them up.

photos: @zimydakid, Summit Foundation, Aqualti