About the Project
PROMARES is an international project of scientific, technological and institutional cooperation aimed at reducing marine litter and strengthening the circular economy in Brazil.
Coordinated by TU Braunschweig (Germany) and implemented in collaboration with Brazilian universities and institutions, the project operates from 2025 to 2028 in the states of Pará, Maranhão, Bahia and Rio de Janeiro, promoting public policies, technological innovation, professional training and social inclusion.
- Period
- 2025 – 2028
- Coordination
- TU Braunschweig
- Priority states
- PA · MA · BA · RJ
- Focus
- Circular Economy
Description
PROMARES – Circular Sea Project: building solutions is an international initiative of scientific, technological and institutional cooperation dedicated to reducing marine litter, strengthening the circular economy and boosting sustainable solid waste management in Brazil, with special attention to the North and Northeast regions.
The project stems from the recognition that the country faces major challenges in urban solid waste management – including the degradation of precarious landfills, the lack of adequate sanitation infrastructure and gaps in integrated policies. These factors have increased the influx of plastics into rivers, coasts and oceans, generating microplastic contamination and compromising biodiversity, human health and local economies dependent on aquatic resources.
Coordinated by the Technical University of Braunschweig (TU Braunschweig – Germany) and funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety through the public institution Zukunft Umwelt Gesellschaft (ZUG), under the Grant Programme against Marine Litter, PROMARES is implemented in partnership with Brazilian universities and institutions:
| UFPA – Universidade Federal do Pará |
| UFF – Universidade Federal Fluminense |
| UNEB – Universidade do Estado da Bahia |
| UEMA – Universidade Estadual do Maranhão |
| UnB – Universidade de Brasília |
| UFT – Universidade Federal do Tocantins |
| UFC – Universidade Federal do Ceará |
| UFPE – Universidade Federal de Pernambuco |
| UPE – Universidade de Pernambuco |
| UFRJ – Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro |
| UERJ – Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro |
| UEL – Universidade Estadual de Londrina |
| UFSC – Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina |
| UFSM – Universidade Federal de Santa Maria |
| Instituto Costa Brasilis/USP |
From 2025 to 2028, operating in the states of Pará, Maranhão, Bahia and Rio de Janeiro, integrating science, public policies, innovation and social inclusion. Its proposal goes beyond tackling marine litter: it seeks to reconfigure the life cycle of plastics, supporting the transition to a fair, sustainable and socially inclusive circular economy. PROMARES mobilises communities, universities, public managers, waste picker cooperatives, social organisations and policymakers, acting in an integrated manner at local, regional and national levels.
Objectives & Goals
PROMARES – Circular Sea Project aims to consolidate, expand and integrate solutions for sustainable solid waste management, reducing the influx of plastics into rivers and seas. Among its goals, the following stand out:
- 1.
Develop public policies and management models for plastic waste.
- 2.
Strengthen institutional capacities at all levels of government.
- 3.
Create economic and social opportunities through cooperatives and green start-ups.
- 4.
Establish the National Institute for Marine Protection and Circular Economy, based in the Amazon.
Main Goals
- 1.
Reduce the influx of plastic waste into Brazilian rivers and seas, especially in sensitive coastal and estuarine areas.
- 2.
Develop management models and governance instruments based on scientific evidence.
- 3.
Implement innovative solutions in sanitation, recycling and environmental monitoring using digital technologies.
- 4.
Promote training and productive inclusion of waste pickers, women, indigenous peoples, traditional communities and people deprived of liberty.
- 5.
Structure the National Institute for Marine Protection and Circular Economy, ensuring the continuity of PROMARES' legacy after 2027.
With an interdisciplinary and participatory approach, PROMARES integrates the global agenda of UNEP/GPML (Global Partnership on Marine Litter) and directly contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular:
- SDG 6
- Clean water and sanitation
- SDG 12
- Responsible consumption and production
- SDG 13
- Climate action
- SDG 14
- Life below water
PROMARES represents a new Brazilian approach to tackling marine litter — uniting science, public management and citizenship to transform waste into resources and promote a cleaner, circular and more inclusive future.
Context & Justification
3.5M
tonnes of plastic waste released into the environment annually by Brazil.
16th
largest global contributor to plastic pollution in the sea, ranking among the largest in Latin America.
4
affected biomes — Amazon, Caatinga, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest — in the North and Northeast regions.
Source: ABRELPE, Panorama dos Resíduos Sólidos no Brasil (2022); Ocean Conservancy & McKinsey (2015).
Much of this material originates from open dumps and precarious landfills, especially in the North and Northeast. By integrating science, public policies, innovation and social justice, PROMARES emerges as a structured response to tackle this national challenge.
Scope & Impact
PROMARES – Circular Sea Project has a robust national presence, articulated with universities, governments and strategic institutions in different regions of Brazil. Its implementation network ensures capillarity, expanded territorial reach and direct impact on public policy formulation and the promotion of the circular economy.
National Scope
An integrated network connecting all regions of Brazil
| Territorial presence |
|
| Academic network | Partnership between TU Braunschweig (Germany) and 14 Brazilian public universities – UFPA, UFF, UNEB, UEMA, UnB, UFT, UFC, UFPE, UPE, UFRJ, UERJ, UEL, UFSC, UFSM and Instituto Costa Brasilis/USP –, forming one of the largest national academic networks dedicated to marine litter and the circular economy. |
| Strategic partnerships and capillarity |
|
| Population impact | The project's actions reach approximately 70% of the Brazilian population, through policies, training and local initiatives. |
Innovation, Research & Results
- 1.
In situ monitoring
Pioneering methodologies applied in rivers, islands, estuaries and coastal areas.
- 2.
Urban Solid Waste Laboratories
Dedicated structures in Pará and Bahia for research, analysis, prototyping, advanced studies and technological development.
- 3.
National Digital Platform
Integrated tool for knowledge, data, courses and governance.
- 4.
Results in more than eight states
Beyond the four priority states (Pará, Maranhão, Bahia and Rio de Janeiro), the project generates impact in Ceará, Tocantins, Pernambuco, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul and the Federal District.
- 5.
Training and capacity building
Offering in-person and online courses covering different levels of training to promote environmental education, sustainable waste management, green entrepreneurship and social innovation.
National Institute
Establishment of the first National Institute for Marine Protection and Circular Economy — PROMARES' permanent legacy —, which will bring together research, education, governance, institutional articulation and a national digital platform open to society.
| Permanent legacy |
| First National Institute for Marine Protection and Circular Economy |
Transparency
PROMARES – Circular Sea Project has an independent communication and ombudsman mechanism, ensuring transparency at every stage. An internal committee — composed of representatives from universities, governments and civil society — evaluates suggestions, demands and results, ensuring impartiality and data protection.
Partnerships & Agreements
Funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and coordinated by TU Braunschweig, PROMARES – Circular Sea Project has technical cooperation from universities, public bodies and Brazilian government entities.
The set of these partnerships expands the project's territorial reach and strengthens its multi-sectoral capacity.
The agreements involve:
43 municipalities
14 Brazilian sub-partner universities (UFPA, UFF, UNEB, UEMA, UnB, UFT, UFC, UFPE, UPE, UFRJ, UERJ, UEL, UFSC, UFSM, Instituto Costa Brasilis/USP)
two federal ministries
international networks such as Blue Keepers and Clean Ocean Network
strategic institutions such as SENAI Nacional, Consórcio Amazônia Legal and FENACONP
Contact
| International Coordination |
TU Braunschweig Leichtweiß Institut, Beethovenstr. 51a |