On 21 May 2026, companies, researchers, public authorities and project partners from across the Baltic Sea region met at Flow of Plastic – International Final Conference in Malmö. The conference brought together results and solutions from the Circular Ocean-bound Plastic and Retail ReLooped projects, both working to reduce plastic waste and strengthen circular solutions across the value chain.
Every year, around 10 million tonnes of plastic waste enter the world’s oceans. Plastic pollution therefore remains a growing challenge for ecosystems, local communities and the economy. Much plastic waste originates from everyday consumption and packaging, and a significant share reaches the sea through urban environments, waterways and coastal areas.
This was the key challenge at the centre of Flow of Plastic – International Final Conference, which took place on 21 May 2026 at STUDIO Malmö. The conference was organised by Circular Ocean-bound Plastic (COP) and Retail ReLooped (RELOOPED) under the Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021–2027.
For us, as a partner in the COP project, the conference marked an important milestone in the work to prevent plastic pollution and turn the project’s results into knowledge, methods and collaborations that can continue beyond the project period.
From retail plastic to ocean-bound plastic
The conference connected two central parts of the plastic challenge: how we rethink plastic packaging in the retail sector, and how we prevent plastic waste from reaching rivers, coastlines and marine environments.
Through three years of cross-border cooperation, COP and RELOOPED have developed and tested solutions that support the transition to a more circular and resource-efficient economy. The solutions range from prevention, collection and recycling to new ways of engaging consumers, businesses and public actors.
The conference was also the first event under the projects’ status as an Operation of Strategic Importance (OSI) in the Interreg South Baltic Programme.
COP: Plastic pollution starts long before it reaches the sea
The COP project works to reduce plastic pollution in the Baltic Sea region by strengthening the collection, reuse and recycling of ocean-bound plastic – plastic waste at risk of ending up in the sea.
Through the project’s pilot activities in Gdańsk, Rostock and Aarhus, more than 20,000 pieces of litter have been collected and analysed. The results provide important knowledge about which types of plastic waste are found in aquatic environments, how litter moves from urban areas and rivers towards the sea, and which methods can be used to prevent and collect it more effectively.
“Plastic pollution begins long before it reaches the sea. By identifying where and how waste enters waterways, we can design smarter prevention systems while creating new opportunities for recycling and innovation,” says Kasper Gregersen, Project Manager for COP.
At the conference, partners presented experiences with litter monitoring, collection systems, material analyses and recycling opportunities from Denmark, Germany and Poland.
RELOOPED launched a digital toolkit for the retail sector
The RELOOPED project focuses on reducing plastic waste from retail, food and packaging. One of the project’s key results is a new digital toolkit that brings together practical tools, cases and experiences from the project’s Living Labs, test activities and co-design processes.
The toolkit is designed to help the retail sector and other stakeholders rethink plastic packaging and work more systematically with reduction, reuse and recycling.
At the conference, participants could learn about tested solutions such as:
- a return system for coffee cups in retail environments
- reusable containers and dispensers for bulk sales in supermarkets
- reusable food containers in canteens
- experiments with insect larvae for the degradation of selected plastic types
- prototypes and material tests from Fab Lab and research environments
EU perspectives, consumer behaviour and next steps
The day also included presentations on the plastic challenge from an EU perspective, including current developments within regulation, packaging, microplastics, circular economy and international negotiations on plastic pollution.
In addition, cases were presented on consumer behaviour, reuse systems and new business models. Among others, Panter shared experiences with reusable takeaway cups and containers, while experiences from the bulk-sale market in Kvickly Rønne on Bornholm showed how retail stores can test reuse, bulk sales and changed customer journeys in practice.
The conference also included an exhibition with circular plastic solutions, as well as interactive workshops where participants had the opportunity to work hands-on with materials and solutions.
Collaboration across the value chain
A key message from the conference was that circular plastic solutions cannot be created by one actor alone. They require collaboration across the entire value chain – from legislation, research and infrastructure to retail, waste management companies, businesses, consumers and local authorities.
Flow of Plastic showed how results from EU projects can be translated into concrete tools, data, tested solutions and new partnerships.
Although the conference marked a final milestone for the projects, the work to bring the solutions forward continues.
Together, we can change the flow of plastics – from source to solution.
The conference is part of the COP project, co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021–2027.
