Narrative
Tid(y)Up project is focusing on the improvement of water quality and reduction of plastic pollution in one of Europe’s most heavily contaminated rivers, the Tisza, and investigates plastic pollution and its effect on the Danube and the Black Sea. Prior to this project there have been no standard methods and consistent data available on plastic pollution of rivers in the Danube Basin that would help harmonized actions of water management authorities and allow cooperation with other sectors. In Tid(y)Up, project partners developed and launched a set of integrated actions, consulted and provided tools for relevant stakeholders and initiated long term transboundary and intersectoral cooperation with the aim of monitoring and eliminating the plastic pollution. The project operated with a list of diverse tools including research activities to standardize methods for estimation of the size of pollution, formulating recommendations toward standardized measurement and analyzing methods. The partnership of Tid(y)Up carried out field trips, expeditions, pilot actions to identify and restore polluted areas, as well as education and awareness raising actions for prevention. The key focus was to raise awareness of the relevant actors and provide them with practical tools in order to create active, cooperating communities in the fight against the plastic waste contamination and contribute to the work of water authorities to improve water quality by providing input for the upcoming revision of DRBMP. For example, the project included clean-up actions carried out by volunteering communities. The project partners included stakeholders from Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine and Bulgaria.
Financial data
Total: 1,628,193.54 Euro (EU funding: 100 %)
Recommendations
It is necessary to increase the support of transboundary cooperation to solve various environmental problems (especially air and water pollution).
It is recommended to support awareness-raising campaigns which focus on prevention and strengthen the link between plastic production and waste generation. The visuals of plastic pollution in our rivers provide powerful tools to support the awareness-raising goals.
It is recommended to encourage the involvement of volunteering communities wherever possible to bring these projects close to people, embedding them into the activities of local communities, building extra motivation, and multiplying the project’s awareness-raising potential.
