Together for zero plastic in Albanian Islands
- Projets
- Assemble Allies and Mobilize
- Together for zero plastic in Albanian Islands
Together for zero plastic in Albanian Islands
- Royal Albanian Foundation (RAF)
- raffondacion@gmail.com
- October 2020 - September 2022
- Albanie
- https://www.facebook.com/fondacioni.royalalbania
The “Together for Zero Plastic in Albanian Islands” project has successfully concluded, marking significant progress in the fight against plastic pollution on 10 Albanian islands and islets. This project, led by a coalition of institutions, aimed to collaborate with various stakeholders including municipalities, travel agencies, bar and restaurant owners, and beverage companies to reduce waste production and improve waste management on these islands.
Project Objectives
The primary goal of the project was to support the six municipalities responsible for administering these islands in developing long-term waste management plans and implementing new regulations. The project also focused on working with local shop owners to replace certain plastics with traditional alternatives such as baskets, wooden utensils, and willow umbrella lounges. Collaboration was initiated between beach bar owners and beverage companies to promote the use of alternative packaging. Additionally, financial incentives were provided to travel agencies to facilitate the transport of plastic waste from the islands to municipal collection areas.
Simultaneously, the project carried out public awareness campaigns targeting both locals and tourists. Students from partner universities were actively involved in these efforts, ensuring widespread community engagement.
Major Achievements
The project has delivered several key results:
- Robust Partnerships: Successfully collaborated with six municipalities, protected area managers, and Albania’s Ministry of Tourism and Environment, creating a strong network of public and local partners.
- Clean-Up Campaigns: Conducted six major clean-up campaigns across the islands, supplemented by numerous additional cleaning initiatives.
- Awareness Campaigns: Launched large-scale awareness campaigns featuring strategically placed billboards at island entry points and other key locations.
- Waste Management: Initiated the transport of plastic waste from the islands to the mainland for proper disposal, facilitated by tourist boats equipped with designated waste compartments. Developed a detailed action plan for waste management on Albanian islands, emphasizing environmental protection and plastic reduction.
- Educational Materials: Partnered with travel agencies to distribute educational materials on plastic pollution to tourists.
- Legislative Action: Advocated for and supported the enforcement of Albania’s first plastic bag ban, a pioneering step in the Balkans.
- Student Engagement: Co-organized a student project competition with the University of Tirana on reducing plastic pollution, selecting three winning projects for further support.
- Alternatives: Replaced plastic beach furniture on heavily visited islands with traditional wooden and willow alternatives, diverting old furniture to municipal waste treatment centers.
Future Outlook
The project laid the groundwork for sustained environmental management efforts on Albanian islands, with plans extending until 2030. These efforts encompass waste cleaning and management, plastic consumption reduction, environmental management, information sharing, and collaboration among stakeholders.
The success of “Together for Zero Plastic in Albanian Islands” demonstrates the power of collaborative action and community involvement in achieving significant environmental improvements.
With the support of BeMed, the organization has already carried out 1 other project.
Updated: June 12, 2024
