Europe-wide Citizen Science Project
"Plastic Pirates - Go Europe!" is the motto of a Europe-wide citizen science project. Volunteers are called on to document pollution in their local rivers and lakes. In Germany the project has been very successful, with almost 780 documented reports.
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In 2020 it is the Europe-wide aim of the plastic pirates to "capture" the waste along river banks and in the immediate surroundings of water bodies.
Photo: BMBF
The "Plastic Pirates – Go Europe!" project aims to keep rivers, lakes and seas clean. But the plastic pirates are also part of a Europe-wide citizen science project to ascertain the extent of plastic waste that is contaminating bodies of water. The project was originally an initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Volunteers, known as plastic pirates, have documented waste in their local waterways in almost 780 places in Germany over the last four years. Their reports were then reviewed and evaluated by experts.
One participant is 16-year-old Jovena Lesny, who became a plastic pirate in 2018 with her school class. "I thought it was brilliant to be able to do some hands-on research!" It’s good to work as a team and do something good for the environment, she added. Read the interview with Jovena Lesny here (German only).
Environmental protection at the heart of the trio presidency
Germany, Portugal and Slovenia will be focusing, during their joint trio presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2020 and 2021 on supporting science and research into clean oceans, seas, running water bodies and the natural environment around water bodies. The "Plastic Pirates – Go Europe!" project is making a valuable contribution.
Firstly, the project is to strengthen awareness across Europe for the importance of rivers as shared lifelines and mobilise interest in protecting natural resources. Equally, the importance of international collaboration on research is to be made visible for all.
How can I get involved?
In 2020 it is the Europe-wide aim of the plastic pirates to "capture" the waste along river banks and in the immediate surroundings of water bodies. By recording plastic waste and uploading data on the waste investigated, you and your class or youth group can help with research into pollution around water bodies. Since all participating teams follow the same experimental design and the same steps, the data produced across Europe is comparable and will be published gradually online on a map.
You will find step by step instructions and a helpful video that explains the research expedition you can undertake here. You will find the necessary material there and can post your results, as well as seeing the results of other teams.