INTERREG Danube Transnational Programme

F(ol)low the Plastic from source to the sea: Tisza-Danube integrated action plan to eliminate plastic pollution of rivers

Short project summary

Despite the advanced waste management and ambitious recycling objectives of the EU, studies indicate the presence of macroplastic and microplastic pollution in rivers of Europe. The TidyUp 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. Currently there are 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 TidyUp, project partners develop and launch a set of integrated actions, consult and provide tools for relevant stakeholders and initiate long term transboundary and intersectoral cooperation with the aim of monitoring and eliminating the plastic pollution. The project operates 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 TidyUp will carry out field trips, expeditions, pilot actions to identify and restore polluted areas, as well as education and awareness raising actions for prevention. The novelty of the project is that it provides tools, data and the assessment of various used methodology for understanding of the sources, nature and risks of contamination flows; and delivers practical examples of possible actions and legislative solutions both on local and transnational level. The key focus is to gather all necessary information, 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.

Activities of Tid(y)Up:

- Save Our Rivers – kick-off online conference of the Tid(y)Up Project - focusing on marine and riverine waste

- Integrative seminar to set base for harmonised measurement protocols of microplastic river pollution

- Training course on the application of current methodologies for macro-plastic assessment 

- Online pollution map in Tisza River Basin

- Illustrated E-book & Joint Protocol for waste monitoring

- Transnational methodology for implementing awareness raising local actions, river clean-ups

- Pilot cleanup actions in 4 locations (Tur river, Bodrog river, Bega river, Danube river)

- Floating awareness raising exhibition

- Study visit at the Hungarian Plastic Cup in August 2021. 

- Local waste reduction workshops and country forum

- Plastic-free waterside waste reduction toolkit with education materials

- Awareness raising movie 

- Policy recommendation on transboundary water quality protection.

Start of the project 1 July, 2020
Expected end of the project: 31 December, 2022
Total budget of the project: 1.618.193,54 EUR (granted contribution: 1.375.464,51 EUR)
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Project co-funded by European Union funds (ERDF, IPA, ENI) with the financial contribution of partner states and institutions