Project duration: 04/2024 – 12/2025

Status: ON-GOING

The challenge

Marine litter represents one of the fastest growing threats to the Adriatic Sea with a large environmental and economic consequence, and a large part of its volume is plastic waste. Globally, the problem of marine litter stands out as one of the three biggest threats to marine ecosystems. According to the assessment of the main findings on the environmental quality and pollution of the Adriatic the level of floating litters in the Adriatic is relatively higher compared to the rest of Mediterranean Sea and there is important share of plastic (>80%) among landed debris (litters).

The solution

The project aims to reduce single-use plastics by promoting sustainable waste management practices – specifically, the principles of reducing and reusing. By doing so, the project seeks to decrease the accumulation of plastic waste on the island, enhance waste management overall, and contribute to a cleaner Adriatic environment.

Project’s deliverables

• Organization of the 2nd interdisciplinary conference on Marine litter
• Communication and advocacy activities
• Implementation of the Plastic Free initiative by the tourism sector and concessionaires in protected areas on Dugi otok
• Monitoring the implementation of the Action Plan to Reduce Plastic Pollution for the period 2021-2026 prepared as part of the For plastic Free Croatian Islands project for the municipality of Sali (Dugi otok) and determining the status of waste management

Project updates

Insight into the organizations

The Association for Nature, Environment, and Sustainable Development – Sunce, a leading civil-society organization in Croatia, advocates for environmentally responsible solutions. With 25 years of experience, they focus on nature protection, waste management, and environmental law. Their goals for 2021-2026 include sustainable waste management and marine litter monitoring. Since 2014, they’ve been active in marine litter projects and have organized 27 clean-up actions, collecting 5,822.41 kg of waste. They emphasize reducing single-use plastic and have implemented initiatives like Plastic Smart Cities. Their efforts have garnered interest from other Croatian municipalities and islands, contributing to establishing plastic-free zones in natural parks and protected areas. 

Plastic-Free Dalmatian Islands is supported by DIEF – Dalmatian Islands Environment Foundation, thanks to funding received from Conservation Collective through their Depeche Mode & Hublot partnership during the Memento Mori world tour.