He stated that "state support can be better," as he believes it can be increased through public policies that create incentives or programs to achieve these actions.
Escarlin Pozo
El Inmobiliario
SANTO DOMINGO.- Several sectors are affected by the sargassum invasion in the Dominican Republic: tourism, the environment and public health, generating alert both in coastal areas and at a general level.
Once sargassum reaches the coasts, it affects the marine ecosystem, killing fish and turtles, and depriving corals and the marine ecosystem of sunlight and oxygen.
When it decomposes on the coast, it releases carbon and methane, which contributes to air pollution, affecting human health by causing respiratory problems in people who live near or visit the affected beaches.
Andrés Bisonó León. (External source).
As a result of this problem, the SOS Carbon. An initiative of engineer Andrés Bisonó León, originating at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Through this idea, it seeks to mitigate this problem through the collection and processing of sargassum using advanced technologies that respond to the blue economy.
In an interview with the television program "El Día," Bisonó indicated that the project's first objective is to work hand in hand with the affected sectors, including tourism and power generators, in order to address this reality.
Furthermore, he explained that before the sargassum reaches the coast, it is collected, processed, and subsequently exported. He emphasized that the macroalga becomes a valuable raw material when it is fresh and in large quantities, allowing its use in various industries.
In the second step, which is processing, he specified that this stage results in their line of products for the agricultural sector. Among these, he highlighted a biostimulant called "Marine Symbiotic," which has been applied to 12 types of crops, including avocado, tomato, and rice.
During this treatment stage, he reported that different completely organic compounds are used, which eliminates any unpleasant odor and allows the product to be suitable for various uses.
Now, you might be wondering, what other uses can be given to sargassum once it's processed? This topic was addressed during the program. Andrés explained that, in Finland, for example, they produce cosmetics, noting that "they're doing quite well in terms of scaling up those products.".
The founder and CEO pointed out that they have exported sargassum to more than 10 countries in container shipments. In one specific case, he again mentioned Finland, highlighting that it is the country that has purchased the most, with shipments totaling up to 11 forty-foot containers.
Speaking about the project's progress, he explained that they have collaboration agreements with more than 30 institutions and have received support from the British and German embassies.
At the local level, he says that one of their main motivations is that problems arise from the academic institutions regarding research and development.
As a problem that affects territories in the Caribbean, this company has had an international reach by developing operations in Mexico, Puerto Rico and Antigua and Barbuda.
“We are the only ones authorized to collect the seaweed at sea before it invades American territory,” he said.
Finally, he stated that "state support can be better," as he believes it can be increased through public policies that create incentives or programs to facilitate these actions.
“So I believe that, indeed, our authorities still have a lot to do. They can work even more as a team with those of us in the field, not just focusing on theory, not just going around in circles, but also starting from what has already been validated and scaled up,” he stated.
