HPP Operator Workshop Brings Together Danube Basin Countries to Address Riverine Waste

Representatives from hydropower plants (HPPs) across the Danube Basin gathered in Bratislava for a workshop hosted by VÚVH – the Slovak Water Research Institute, as part of the AQUATIC PLASTIC (AQPLA) project. The event brought together participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Montenegro, Slovakia and Slovenia to discuss the role of hydropower infrastructure in tackling riverine plastic pollution.

The workshop underscored a key finding: hydropower plants are directly impacted by riverine waste, but can simultaneously serve as strategic partners in its monitoring, prevention, removal and circular management. Discussions covered the need for harmonised data collection across borders, practical tools to support investment decisions and policy uptake, as well as operational experiences related to waste retention and sustainable clean-up approaches. Certified recycling options and prospects for deeper cross-border cooperation were also on the agenda.

Participation from Serbian, Romanian and Bulgarian hydropower representatives was not possible on this occasion, though the project team expressed hope to continue the exchange with those teams in future activities.