Meeting of the AQPLA project partners in Vienna
In the second half of June 2024, a two-day meeting of the project partners of the Aquatic Plastic (AQPLA) project took place in Vienna, hosted at BOKU (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences). The event brought together representatives of the participating organisations to review the activities carried out, assess the project’s progress and develop strategies to reduce waste pollution in the Danube river basin. In parallel, workshops were held to develop methodologies for sampling micro-litter in rivers, river sediments and fish.
The importance of joint efforts in tackling the problem of plastic pollution was emphasised. Participants were briefed on recommendations for report preparation, financial oversight and quality assurance, which ensure the accuracy and reliability of the reports submitted. Participants also received information on communication activities, including recent events and engagement on social media. This was followed by presentations on the work carried out across three work packages (SO1 – SO3) and the activities within those work packages.
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The Water Research Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (IzVRS) played a significant role at the meeting, drawing on its extensive experience in the field of micro-waste sampling in marine and inland waters. As part of the workshops, IzVRS staff led a demonstration of micro-waste sampling using a submersible pump and analysed the presence of microplastics in fish.
As part of the project, training sessions will be organised for young people and non-governmental organisations, podcasts will be produced, and national round-table discussions will be held. The conclusions of the meeting reaffirmed all partners’ commitment to shared goals and progress in reducing waste pollution. Future activities will continue to strengthen regional cooperation and innovative approaches to tackling this global challenge.
Find out more about the project on the website: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/aquatic-plastic
