OEC will acquire more than 22,000 km of telegraph, coaxial and fibre optic subsea cables in the Mediterranean to reuse components like optical fibre, copper, steel, and aluminium.
Out-of-service Sparkle cables will be taken directly from the seabed and transported to the OEC facilities, where they’ll be dismantled, separated, cleaned, and analysed to uncover potentially reusable materials.
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According to Sparkle, the OEC recycling agreement will save more than 35,000 tons of CO₂ by applying recycled materials for use either repurposed or used back in manufacturing.
“We are proud to be among the first global operators to undertake such an innovative initiative, promoting circular economy practices and reducing environmental impact”, said Enrico Bagnasco, CEO of Sparkle. “The collaboration with OEC represents a concrete step toward a more sustainable future, where resources from the past can be recovered and transformed into opportunities for the present and the future.’
Horst Brockmueller, CEO of OEC, said: “By retrieving and recycling these redundant cables, we are not only reducing the congestion and waste on the Mediterranean seabed but also reducing the need for virgin materials in manufacturing.
“This process significantly lowers carbon emissions and embodies the principles of a circular economy.”
