AQUATIC PLASTIC – Initiating bottom-up management solutions to reduce plastic waste in the Danube Basin

Project title: Initiating bottom-up management solutions to reduce plastic waste in the Danube Basin

Acronym: AQUATIC PLASTIC (AQPLA) 

Funding: Interreg Danube Region

Duration: January 2024 – June 2026  

Description:

The AQUATIC PLASTIC project tackles plastic pollution in the Danube basin through interconnected activities, including developing cost-effective microplastic evaluation methods, an open-access database, and a river waste monitoring plan for hydropower plants. Pilot actions will assess waste retention, management practices, and macroplastic cleanup, while citizen science will help trace waste sources. The project will enhance recycled plastics' value, promote awareness through workshops, and launch the Transnational Call for River Cleanup. Additionally, it will establish the River Saver community and advocate for policies to reduce plastic waste, fostering a cleaner aquatic environment.

Main objective: To develop bottom-up management solutions for reducing plastic waste in the Danube basin by providing a comprehensive database and methodology to map plastic waste in rivers, utilizing artificial barriers like hydropower plants and remote sensing technologies to help water management authorities measure, monitor, and redirect plastic waste from nature to landfills or recycling.

Specific objective: The project aims to improve water quality in the Danube basin by developing cost-effective methodologies for measuring and managing plastic waste, using remote sensing to identify high-risk areas, and empowering stakeholders to engage in monitoring, cleaning, and recycling efforts.

Partners:

  1. Project leader - PET Kupa Egyesület (HU)
  2. Hungarian Association of Environmental Enterprises (HU)
  3. General Directorate for Water Management (HU)
  4. University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (AT)
  5. MULTISALVA Association (RO)
  6. Mare Nostrum (RO)
  7. Center for Ecotoxicological Research Podgorica (ME)
  8. Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urban Planning (ME)
  9. Institute of Oceanology - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BG)
  10. Water Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (SI)
  11. Faculty of Technical Sciences Novi Sad (RS)
  12. Water Research Institute Bratislava (SK)
  13. Regional Education and Information Centre for Sustainable Development in South-East Europe – REIC (BA)

Project website: interreg-danube.eu/projects/aquatic-plastic

Project budget: EUR 2,166,493.5

INTERREG funding: EUR 1,733,194.8