„Adriatic Sea and plastic and microplastic pollution from freshwaters – an Adrion territorial challenge“ (AdriPlast) project, ia funded under the European Union's Interreg VI-B IPA Adriatic-Ionian Programme. The project's objective is to address the growing issue of plastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems, with a particular focus on the Adriatic and Ionian seas, and its detrimental impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems, and human health.
The AdriPlast project will facilitate collaboration between six partner countries - Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Albania - with the objective of developing sustainable solutions for reducing plastic waste. The leading institution is Universitary Consortium for Socioeconomical Research and for the Environment (Consorzio Universitario per la Ricerca Socioeconomica e per l'Ambiente) from Italy. The project will concentrate on the identification of significant challenges, including the improper disposal of waste and the use of single-use plastics. In addition, it will facilitate joint research, effective waste management and the engagement of citizens. Project coordinator on the Ruđer Bošković Institute and person responsible for communication and visibility of the project is dr. Vlatka Filipović Marijić from the Laboratory for Biological Effects of Metals, and members are colleagues from the Division for Marine and Environmental Research dr. Vlado Cuculić, dr. Tatjana Mijošek Pavin, dr. Dario Omanović, dr. Tvrtko Smital, dr. Damir Valić and from the Division of Physical Chemistry dr. Marko Rožman.
The project's principal objectives are as follows:
1. To facilitate cross-border collaboration with a view to sharing best practices and reinforcing regional efforts to combat plastic pollution.
2. To conduct research and monitoring activities to gain a deeper understanding of plastic pollution in aquatic environments and develop strategies to mitigate its impact.