This morning, 25 interns from the EDP company participated in a waste removal activity at Xagó beach to raise awareness of the importance of preserving the environment and taking notice of how much garbage a beach can accumulate. Throughout the morning, the students collected 145 kilos of waste from the sand. 

The waste collected was mostly composed of wood and plastic, and a truck tire was also found. All the garbage will be taken to a waste facility for disposal.

The initiative has been launched by the EDP Foundation and the EDP Volunteer program in collaboration with RENA, Asturias’ Natural Network, which is the European Union’s main conservation tool and aims to ensure the preservation of European biodiversity. At the same time, it also supports the sustainable development of the communities living in the area.

The 25 participants are students from the University of Oviedo, who are currently in their training phase within the energy company thanks to the EDP Foundation’s Martín González del Valle Scholarships.

The Martín González del Valle scholarship program offers university students the possibility of completing their academic studies while putting their acquired knowledge and personal skills into practice during a real professional experience in the different headquarters and business areas of the EDP Group.

Meanwhile, the EDP Volunteer program regularly carries out environmental activities with the energy company’s employees, such as planting trees and collaborating with social entities and organizations that help socially vulnerable people.

The Xagó Beach, with a surface of more than 600,000 square meters, constitutes one of Asturias’ largest and best-preserved dune systems, and is included in the Cabo Peñas protected landscape.

EDP holds several Guinness records for the removal of ocean waste, one of the highlights being the biggest sub-aquatic cleaning ever carried out until now, in which 3 tons of waste and objects thrown into the sea were collected. The company’s goal is to emphasize the urgency of protecting nature and promoting biodiversity.

The EDP Foundation fosters education as a driving force for change, boosting young people’s talent and offering them tools to develop their academic training without social barriers.