Around 200,000 people live in the coastal region of Vlora, which stretches from Porto Palermo on the Ionian Sea as far as the point where the River Vjosa flows into the Adriatic Sea. Day after day, the dumping of considerable amounts of waste into the sea is the result of an excessive use of bags and other plastic items, associated with poor management by the municipality. The project aims to teach the community and the main maritime stakeholders to reduce their use of plastic materials. Lobbying and advocacy work with decision-makers will help encourage the preparation of a waste management plan. The project also includes plans for the imposition of high taxes on the plastic bags distributed in the region’s markets. Finally, the project initiators would like to educate young schoolchildren further about the dangers of plastic and the means of limiting its use.
The results :
– Gathering images and analysing the local context
– Raising awareness among different audiences
The first part involved collecting data and images of plastic pollution to illustrate the current state of the problem at regional level and to build up an awareness-raising dossier. The bays of Vlora and Himara (Albania) were targeted. The analysis showed that the main source of pollution comes from the watercourses into which some of the population dumps its waste.
Based on these findings and the images collected, 3 types of action were taken:
1. Raising awareness among young people and the general public. A short animated film illustrating the impact of plastic pollution on marine fauna was shown in schools. Two hundred teachers were made aware of the problem. They were offered educational workshops to set up in their classrooms. These workshops focus in particular on the right thing to do and the solutions to be implemented in everyday life.
2. Raising awareness among sea users. The regional environment inspector, the regional fisheries inspector, the administration of a marine protected area and a fishermen’s cooperative took part in a working day on the subject of plastic pollution. Beach clean-up days were also held to get the public involved. At the same time, a short film explaining the issues involved in sorting plastic was produced in partnership with schools and broadcast on these days and in the media.
3. Advising and influencing political decision-makers. Round tables and workshops were organised with the municipality and the Ministry of the Environment to lay the foundations of an action plan for better waste management. As a result of these workshops, the construction of a new landfill was approved and a ban on lightweight plastic bags was passed in Albania.
Updated 10/12/2024
