Local cooperation for a cleaner ocean

The Circular Ocean-bound Plastic (COP) project has held stakeholder workshops in our three pilot cities over the past six months. We brought together local stakeholders from government, research, industry, waste management, port authorities, tourism and NGOs to identify sources of pollution and find solutions that fit each city’s unique challenges.

Local engagement in the fight against marine litter

Understanding and combating marine pollution requires cross-sectoral collaboration. The aim of the workshops was to ensure that local perspectives were included in the development of concrete solutions to reduce plastic pollution in the South Baltic.

Each workshop focused on:

• Identifying the main sources of pollution from the perspective of local stakeholders.
• Brainstorming concrete actions to reduce the main sources of plastic pollution.
• Prioritizing and outlining future solutions to ensure implementation.

At each workshop, the COP project partners presented the preliminary results of our waste monitoring in the different cities. After which the participants analyzed the 10-20 most common types of waste from the surveyed areas (rivers/outlets). This knowledge formed the basis for a targeted discussion on solutions.

The COP project has organized workshops in three pilot cities:

• Rostock, Germany – September 2024 – hosted by Leibniz Institute forBaltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW)
• Gdańsk, Poland – November 2024 – hosted by Gdańsk Water Foundation & University of Gdańsk
• Aarhus, Denmark – January 2025 – hosted by Clean in cooperation with Ocean Plastic Forum & Plast Center Danmark

Common Challenges: Waste origins and patterns

Despite local differences, a clear trend emerged across all three cities – recreation and tourism are among the biggest sources of marine litter. In Aarhus, the waste reflects the city’s busy life around the river, where disposable plastic cups, paper bags and food trays were among the most commonly found items. In fact, in 2024 alone, 5,516 disposable plastic cups were collected from the Aarhus River. In Gdańsk, beverage packaging such as plastic bottles, cans, and glass bottles were the most commonly found items. While in Rostock, cigarette butts and plastic packaging from tobacco products made up the majority of waste.

The mapping of waste sources also showed local differences:

• Recreation and tourism was the largest source of waste in all three pilot cities, with participants estimating it accounted for 30-39% of the waste collected.
• Waste management – overflowing bins and inefficient collection systems – was also a significant challenge in Aarhus and Rostock.
• Marinas and industry played a bigger role in Gdańsk, reflecting the city’s port activities and business community

Proposed solutions: From local initiatives to system changes

Using the Disney method, where all ideas are possible and nothing is unrealistic, participants brainstormed a lot of good ideas. These ideas were then ranked by impact and effort/resources, after which each group selected one solution to focus on. The proposed solutions included:

• Better waste management – e.g. storm and seagull-proof bins to prevent waste from spreading.
• Regulation of single-use plastics – such as higher deposits on cups and bottles or even a ban on single-use cups in nightlife.
• Reward responsible behavior – incentives for companies and citizens who actively reduce plastic waste.
• Awareness campaigns – e.g. a “Bring your own (ugly) cup” campaign to encourage people to ditch disposable cups and bring their own instead.
• Political influence – tightening legislation both locally and nationally, as well as the need for EU regulation that standardizes materials and reduces unnecessary plastic production.

Some solutions were identified as low-hanging fruit that are easier to implement in the short term, while others require political work, resources and long-term commitment at local, national and EU level.

What happens next?

The results from the workshops will be a key part of the COP project analysis and the final action plan to reduce plastic pollution in the Baltic Sea. By combining data and local knowledge, we will develop practical and scalable solutions to tackle the problem at the source.

Thank you to partners and participants.

A big thank you to everyone who participated in these workshops – your insights and commitment are crucial to creating real change!

A special thank you to the company All In On Green, who participated in the workshop in Aarhus and subsequently invited all participants to a demonstration of their innovative SeaProtectorOne system, which collects all the waste we analyze in the COP project.