Riversavers in action

During this year's mild winter we have seen lots of rain, little snow and almost constant flooding. Global warming has shown that if it's not cold enough, the precipitation immediately floods our rivers, which are constantly carrying waste at high speed. Plastic Cup's Fast Response Riversaver Unit was on constant standby to intercept the flowing/ floating waste wherever possible. This is how a spontaneous action last week took place at Szolnok to test Aquatic Plastic protocol in reality. 

Five plastic pirates in the Plastic Cup's Fast Response Riversaver Unit, led by Captain Csani, carried out a two-day action, based on the Transnational River Cleanup Handguide - the first volume of the Aquatic Plastic book series. The handguide, developed in Interreg Programme Tid(y)Up, emphasises that every community river cleanup has to be carried out in cooperation with local authorities. In this case the partners were the Szolnok City Management Ltd., the Central Tisza Rural Water Management Directorate (Kötivizig), helped by local NGOs Szolnoki ZöldErő and Arany Vízitúra.

"We have been continuously monitoring the waste situation on the Tisza at Szolnok in recent weeks and have noticed the formation of more and more floating riverine litter accumulations. Our old partner, Janos Arany, who is leading a local boat club, warned us about a large amount of waste being deposited in Szolnok," said Captain Csani. 

The initial plan was to clean up both banks of the Tisza, but the team faced such a level of pollution that only a small part could be fully returned to nature.

The operation took place under the Tiszavirág Bridge, in front of a school, from where students watched the waste collection operation. "I am hopeful that we had an educating effect on the students of the Roman Catholic Primary School and Secondary School of Szolnok during the waste collection. Our goal is to get the habitants of Tisza Region to actively participate in the waste collection actions, in addition to the trained riversavers," said Bogi Rosta, member of the Fast Response Riversaver Unit.

The plastic pirates were confronted with a much larger than expected amount of pollution. "We were able to collect mostly under the Tiszavirág bridge during the two days. It only took one of our volunteers an hour to pick up the litter on the Zagyva near the Nyári Lőrinc bridge and from there up the Tisza for 200 metres," continued Csani.

 Due to the strong current, canoes could only pick up litter along the shore, while motorboats from the Kötivizig and the Aranyvízitúra could also collect litter on the inland floating islands. 

The balance of the two days in sorted bags, delivered by the NHSZ:

 - 42 bags of communal waste

- 25 bags of plastic

- 8 bags of bottles

- 3,5 bags of metal 

- flooring of a car

 In the Interreg Danube Region Aquatic Plastic programme, the handguide is developed further so it can provide an effective help not only for community river cleanup actions but also for professional interventions. Aquatic Plastic will also lead the way in training riversavers, coordinators of river cleanup actions in other Danube countries. Stay tuned for more news!

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