Teams of divers are in the process of extracting an artificial reef made of tens of thousands of old car tyres from the seafloor south of France, after it was discovered to pollute the area with toxic chemicals.
The operation has exceeded EUR1 million, and is partially by tyre manufacturer Michelin as well as the French state.
The divers are supported by a boat with lifting equipment.
Local fishing association leader Denis Genovese told AFP news agency that some types of fish swam around the collection of tyres, while “no species really got used to it”.
Previously, dumping tyres were thought of as an economical solution to get rid of tyres, while simultaneously creating habitats for marine life and stimulating marine organisms to grow on the rubber.
In the 1980s, local authorities agreed 25,000 tyres should be sunk into the waters 500m from the shore between Cannes and Antibes, on the French Riviera. In 2005, researchers found the tyres were leaking chemicals including heavy metals, posing a threat to human life and the environment.In 2015, authorities told journalists the tyres were thought to be “completely inert” and to present no risk at the time they were sunk.
Another documented issue is that stacks of tyres can collapse or disintegrate, disturbing life in the area. A first set of 25,000 tyres was removed in 2015, with 10,000 set to be lifted in the coming weeks and more next year.
Artificial reefs using tyres have also been sunk in other parts of the world, with tens of thousands of tyres been removed from the seabed at Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Around Gibraltar in the 1970s, the tyres were washed away by currents. Ships, cars and concrete blocks were later used instead.