Working Together for Waste-Free Rivers – From Problem to Solution
As part of the Interreg Aquatic Plastic project, and to mark World Earth Day, the Water Institute of the Republic of Slovenia organised a specialist workshop entitled ‘Collaboration for Waste-Free Rivers – From Problem to Solution’, which took place in Ljubljana. The event brought together key stakeholders from the fields of water management, waste collection and management, and non-governmental organisations whose work makes a significant contribution to reducing pollution in Slovenian rivers.
The workshop was designed to develop concrete proposals and guidelines for preventing pollution and for the effective collection and management of waste in rivers. Using the World Café method, which encourages open dialogue and collaboration, discussed, in small groups, the key challenges, existing good practices and potentially feasible solutions for reducing pollution in aquatic environments.
The findings and opinions gathered will be incorporated into a technical document containing recommendations, which will serve as a basis for the preparation of future strategic documents, such as the Water Management Plan and the Marine Environment Management Plan.
The event was attended by representatives of ministries, providers of mandatory state-run public water management services, waste management companies, non-governmental organisations, expert institutions and other key stakeholders in the field of water management.
The main objectives of the workshop were:
• To draw up proposals for measures to reduce the amount of waste in rivers;
• To strengthen cooperation between various stakeholders;
• To examine the implementation of existing legislation and regulations;
• To raise awareness among experts and the general public of the importance of clean rivers.
The event highlighted the importance of raising public awareness, the effective operation of municipal services and waste collection centres, as well as the legal role of water and riparian land managers, who are key to ensuring a clean and healthy aquatic environment. The workshop was followed by a practical demonstration of micro-waste sampling on the River Ljubljanica, using a water pump and a so-called ‘manta’ net.
The workshop took place as part of the Interreg Aquatic Plastic project and was designed to gather suggestions from stakeholders and hear about their practical experiences.
Contact for further information:
Uroš Robič
, Water Institute of the Republic of Slovenia
, uros.robic@izvrs.si
Useful links:
https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/aquatic-plastic
https://www.facebook.com/aquaticplastic
https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/aqpla
The project is co-funded by the European Union.