BeMed+ project off to a flying start in Albania and Tunisia
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- BeMed+ project off to a flying start in Albania and Tunisia
May 2024 — The BeMed+ project financed by the Fonds Français pour l’Environnement Mondial (FFEM) is officially launched! This ambitious project aims to reduce plastic pollution, particularly in Tunisia and Albania, through actions designed to reduce plastic pollution in these regions.
Focus on Albania
In Albania, the project is managed by the Surfrider Europe Foundation and coordinated by the Institute for Nature Conservation in Albania (INCA). It focuses mainly on the watershed of the Shkumbin river, a major site contaminated by plastic waste, due to the inconsistent waste management across the territory. The river watershed overlaps with the boundaries of the Elbasan waste management area. This region has been the focus of a study by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Western Balkans Investment Fund (WBIF), which envisages the implementation of inter-municipal waste management.
The theme of the initiative is community involvement in solving this problem: “Come along too! Let’s create a map of plastic pollution in the Shkumbin River together.
Representatives of the BeMed+ project, in collaboration with the Elbasan Sports and Tourism Agency (AST), organized an information and training session on the use of the “Plastic Origins” application. This easy-to-use application, developed by Surfrider Foundation Europe and accessible via cell phones and tablets, enables the whole community to record and locate plastic pollution in rivers. The app is designed to facilitate the engagement of citizens/inhabitants in advocating urgent action to tackle river pollution at local, national and European levels.
The training session took place near the Elbasan Youth Center, attracting many young participants, as well as representatives from the municipality, local NGOs and sports tourism operators.
Practical Application and Data Collection
Once the training course was over, participants were ready to take to the water. Students, activists and rafting enthusiasts all volunteered to map the Shkumbin River. Supervised by AST Elbasan and Clémence Baudu-Descamps, Surfrider’s Lobby Project Manager, participants took to the water to study three sections of the river.
This activity enabled them to use the app for the first time to collect data, map the river’s hotspots and identify the categories of plastic most commonly found.
Next steps
The data collected will be used to create a detailed pollution map of the Shkumbin River. This map will be a crucial tool in discussions with local and regional authorities, advocating concrete measures to prevent and manage plastic pollution.
This ongoing activity aims to involve the local community more closely in monitoring the river, and to encourage cooperation with the relevant institutions in taking concrete action. The BeMed+ project represents an important step in the mitigation of plastic pollution in the Mediterranean, promoting community involvement and collaboration between the various stakeholders. The initiative not only responds to an environmental crisis, but also enables local communities to play an active part in preserving their natural heritage.
For more information on the Plastic Origins app and to join the effort, visit (https://www.plasticorigins.eu/).
