BROWN ALGAE – THE NEW MAJOR THREAT

WELT AM SONNTAG – MINT MAGAZIN, Muddy brown algae in the sea and on the beaches are not just disgusting — they’re also toxic. Pascal Gerdsmeier wants to change that. Together with his NPO CIRCULAR WAVES and the Technical University of Munich (TUM), he is planning to save the water, tourism, and local communities.

Invasive brown algae are being brought to Europe by ships from Asia. They are toxic, unsightly, and reproduce rapidly.

TULUM, MEXICO. A dream destination, or at least it should be. There’s plenty of culture to explore, and the beaches of the Riviera Maya are nothing short of paradise. Or at least they were. Now, the ongoing brown algae infestation is causing havoc. These invaders pollute the oceans, destroy marine life, and drive tourists away. They are classified as hazardous waste. “Terrible,” says Pascal Gerdsmeier, entrepreneur and visionary from Munich. He is passionate about protecting the environment. That’s why he founded Circular Waves, a non-profit organization with ambitious plans. TUM (Technical University of Munich) is on board as well.

What Gerdsmeier is planning could become a lifeline for the oceans, the tourism industry, and the local population. The project is well thought out from start to finish: Using two futuristic ships, equipped with cutting-edge technology and on-board laboratories, brown algae will be harvested from the sea — and utilized. On board, the algae will be used to produce hydrogen. On land, they will be dehydrated, processed for agricultural use, and converted into energy. Decentralized facilities will be built to handle this, aiming to supply smaller communities with sustainable resources. “This is definitely feasible,” confirms Andreas Feis, algae expert and advisor at TUM. The facilities could be designed in a simple, cost-effective way and actively involve the local population. TUM fully supports the project and is providing the necessary technologies.

Pascal Gerdsmeier is a Co-Founder, CEO, and visionary. With his ships, he aims to collect brown algae and put them to good use.

There’s no shortage of raw materials — brown algae are as abundant as sand on the beach. These invasive species are often carried over by ships from Asia, picking up heavy metals along the way. „Such brown algae are a huge problem,“ warns Andreas Feis. „They are extremely resilient, reproduce explosively in warm waters, cling stubbornly to ships, and have massive negative impacts.” Removing them — and better yet, using them — would be a real breakthrough. The best part? The beaches would once again look as beautiful as they once did. Local fishing could thrive again. And the inhabitants of the affected regions could find meaningful, paid jobs centered around the removal and processing of the brown algae. All that’s missing now is a few million in funding — then the mission can begin.