Through joint efforts of the local community, volunteers and students, Zaca Beach in Zavala was cleaned
On the occasion of the European Maritime Day and as part of the Refill Hvar – Pour It Up for Less Plastic project, a beach cleanup took place on May 20 at Zaca Beach in Zavala on the island of Hvar, organized by Sunce. The event brought together representatives of the local community and the association Moj škoj, a volunteer member of Sunce’s volunteer club SoleSTerra, as well as students participating in professional practice and community service learning at Sunce.
– Sunce, as a project partner, recognized the value of this initiative, which contributes to the long-term reduction of plastic waste, – said Dalka Zanki, project manager at Sunce.
– The importance of the project lies in raising awareness among island residents and visitors about the significance of individual actions in reducing everyday plastic waste, – emphasized Lorena Jakas, president of the association Moj škoj.
What did we find on Zaca Beach?
A total of 97.9 kg of marine litter was removed from the marine environment through joint efforts. In accordance with the Protocol for implementing marine and coastal cleanup actions in the Republic of Croatia, waste monitoring was also conducted.
Zaca Beach “treated” us to a variety of marine litter — some items made us smile, others caused serious concern, and all the collected waste served as a strong reminder of the negative impact of plastic on the environment.
– The direct impact of humans is especially visible on urban beaches, as confirmed by the large amount of plastic toys we recorded this time, – said Zanki.
As usual, most of the marine litter was plastic, totaling 82.21 kg. This was followed by 11.33 kg of metal, 2.75 kg of fabric, 0.9 kg of glass, and the smallest amount was medical waste, only 0.2 kg.
Among the waste, we found writing utensils, bottles, caps, food packaging, and plastic bags. Discarded fishing gear was also spotted, including a shellfish farming frame. The largest item removed from the beach was part of an old refrigerator. We didn’t plug it in, but it was clear it didn’t help nature stay “fresh.”
– This cleanup action once again showed how important it is to combine cleaning efforts with education and behavior change, for a cleaner and healthier Adriatic, – said Zanki.
Why stop buying bottled water?
The Refill Hvar project aims to tackle the challenge of significantly increased waste during the tourist season. Plastic bottles account for an alarming 20–30% of packaging waste and consumer habits show that bottled water is a top purchase among visitors.
– We want to encourage tourists to use reusable bottles. That’s why, as part of the project, we will install nine public water fountains with drinking water from local sources, – said Bianka Jakas, project manager.
Visitors will be informed about the fountain locations through an awareness campaign, including a promotional video shown on ferry and catamaran lines from Split to Jelsa on Hvar.
– We believe that thanks to this project, visitors to Hvar will appreciate our natural resources even more, especially the abundance of clean drinking water, – said Antonia Grgičević from the association Moj škoj.
New cleanup actions, education and cooperation with the local community
The project also includes educational activities for local stakeholders and visitors. – Sunce will organize another cleanup action, and we are planning meetings with representatives of the Municipality of Jelsa, the utility company Jelkom d.o.o., and the Jelsa Tourist Board, – announced Zanki.
– We invite all residents and guests on the island of Hvar to stop buying plastic water bottles. Let’s refill our reusable bottles, protect nature and the environment and take a step together toward a plastic-free island, – urged Jakas.
If you’d like to join future cleanup activities, become a member and be part of our Cleanup Action Team. Subscribe to Sunce’s newsletter to be the first to hear about upcoming opportunities to get involved.
– It’s really important to me to contribute to preserving nature and the environment, and as a member of the SoleSTerra volunteer club, I have many more opportunities to participate in such activities, – said Renata Botić, Sunce volunteer.
The project Refill Hvar – Pour It Up for Less is supported by DIEF – the Dalmatian Islands Environment Foundation, with funding provided by the Conservation Collective through a partnership with Depeche Mode and Hublot during their Memento Mori world tour.
