PlasticFreeDanube – Macro plastic waste in and along the Danube
Despite its many benefits, plastic has become a significant environmental threat and a recognized global issue. Plastic waste, particularly in marine ecosystems, poses a serious problem at both regional and global levels. Rivers are identified as major conduits for pollution, although the sources, pathways, and environmental impacts of plastic in rivers are still not fully understood.
The “PlasticFreeDanube” project focuses on macroplastic waste (>5 mm) in and along the Danube River and parts of its riparian areas. The primary goal of the project is to create a scientifically robust knowledge base and develop a methodological approach to understanding plastic waste in the river, including its entry points, quantities, transport patterns, and environmental risks.
The project considers the Danube stretch from Vienna up to the hydropower plant Gabčíkovo in Slovakia. This section includes the two metropolitan areas Vienna and Bratislava, the two hydropower plants Freudenau (Austria) and Gabčíkovo (Slovakia) as well as the free flowing Danube stretch through the Donau-Auen National Park east of Vienna.
Project objectives
- Development of methods and collection of data for an assessment and monitoring of plastic pollution in fluvial ecosystems
- Development of an action plan for the management of plastic waste and implementation of pilot measures against plastic pollution in and along the Danube
- Awareness raising of the public and stakeholders about plastic litter pollution in rivers and possibilities of waste avoidance
Basic information
Start date: 01-10-2017
End date: 30-09-2020
Budget in Euro: Overall: 1.2301.000
ERDF Contribution: 1.050.000
Interreg V-A Slovakia-Austria 2014-2020
More information is available via the following website: PlasticFreeDanube
