Strengthening Collaboration to Reduce Plastic Pollution

Strengthening Collaboration to Reduce Plastic Pollution

📌 On March 17, 2026, the Institute for Nature Conservation in Albania (INCA) took part in the roundtable “Strengthening Collaboration to Reduce Plastic Pollution”, organized by the University of Tirana within the framework of the TETHYS4ADRION project, held at Rogner Hotel, Tirana. The meeting brought together experts, institutions, and NGOs from the Adriatic-Ionian region to strengthen cooperation against plastic pollution.
🤝 INCA shared the experiences of the BeMed+ project in the Shkumbin River basin, highlighting the importance of synergy with other regional initiatives. The presentation focused on:
* 🏛️ Collaboration with Municipalities – integrated plans for plastic waste management in line with EU directives, organizing plastic-free events, promoting tap water use, awareness campaigns, and institutional support for monitoring with rafting and football clubs.
* ✨ Collaboration with Hotels – training programs to reduce single-use plastics within their facilities.
* 🥤 Collaboration with Restaurants & Cafés – facilitating certification as “Environmentally Friendly.”
* 🚣 Collaboration with Sports & Rafting – promoting seasonal monitoring missions with municipalities based on OSPAR methodologies, accompanied by clean-up actions and awareness campaigns.
* 👥 Collaboration with Communities – empowering citizens as guardians of riverbanks, coastlines, and a plastic-free future.
🌍 These actions combine scientific data with practical engagement on the ground, creating a collaborative model that strengthens local ownership and regional connections. INCA positioned itself as a key actor in sharing knowledge and experiences, fostering inclusive approaches to reduce plastic waste from source to sea.
The meeting also featured contributions from Albanian and international experts, including case studies from Montenegro, Slovenia, and Greece. It emphasized the importance of evidence-based approaches, cross-border cooperation, and community empowerment in tackling plastic pollution across the Adriatic-Ionian region.
🌊 From source to sea – together we are building a plastic-free future!