Waste reduction is a priority when it comes to environmental protection. That is why, as part of the Wastereduce and Plastic-Free Croatian Island projects, a reusable cup was created, which this summer also became a sort of souvenir of Dugi Otok.
However, if we want the reusable cup to become a habit, we need the cooperation of everyone who works and lives on Dugi Otok. That is exactly why we all came together at the same table.
We held a roundtable in Zadar with key stakeholders who can contribute to reducing waste generated by tourism activities in the protected areas of Dugi Otok. On November 11, at the Zadar youth center, we gathered representatives from the public institutions Natura Jadera and Telašćica Nature Park, the municipal company Mulić d.o.o., the Sali Tourist Board and representatives of concessionaires.
– Since concessionaires operating in the protected areas of Dugi Otok know the situation on the ground best, it is extremely important for us to hear their opinions on changes in their operations, all with the goal of environmental protection, – explained Dalka Zanki, project manager.
Has the reusable cup replaced single-use options?
This summer, rangers of of public institutions distributed reusable cups to all businesses operating in the Telašćica Nature Park and the northwest part of Dugi Otok.
– The concessionaires reacted very positively when we gave them the cups, – confirmed Josip Brajković, chief nature guardian from the public institution Natura Jadera.
However, the reusable cups were hardly used in this part of the island. Although happy to receive the cups, hospitality businesses did not have the means to wash them due to infrastructural limitations at one of Croatia’s most beautiful beaches, Sakarun.
– One positive example is a cocktail bar that transported the used cups for washing every day and returned them the next day to their beach bar, – Brajković mentioned.
In Telašćica, the situation was somewhat better this summer, and reusable cups partly replaced single-use options.
– Of the 25 concessionaires to whom we gave reusable cups, most reacted positively. However, we noticed that those who consistently used them were the ones with smaller boat capacities and fewer daily trips, – said Martina Špralja, ranger from Telašćica Nature Park.
At the roundtable, the results of a 2025 season survey on the use of reusable cups were also presented, in which concessionaires had the opportunity to comment on the advantages and disadvantages and provide suggestions for implementing reusable solutions in their businesses.
What do those who did (or didn’t) use reusable cups say?
– We used the cups on our Neviđanka boat and really liked them, as did our guests! Many cups even disappeared because guests took them as souvenirs, – said roundtable participant Marcela Vugdelija, representative of the Nevica Cruise business.
Concessionaires from the audience who contributed to the constructive discussion also complained about the disappearance of cups, as well as the challenges of washing them.
– Not all boats have dishwashers, nor the technical means to wash on board. One must also consider the large capacity of boats that come to Telašćica, where up to 90 people can be on a single trip at the same time, – agreed the concessionaires who visit Mir Bay in Telašćica daily during the summer.
– Those boats that do have dishwashers use glass cups, – explained Špralja.
We all know that conditions at sea are not always ideal. When the wind picks up, unfortunately, many things can fly off the boat into the sea.
Vugdelija said that, precisely because of the changing conditions at sea, it would have been better if the distributed cups were lower and wider, making them more stable and less likely to end up as marine litter.
– We are aware that not all concessionaires have the same capabilities and that not everyone could comply with the Decision on limiting the use of single-use plastics for businesses, – said Vesna Petešić from Telašćica Nature Park.
Dugi otok sailing toward sustainability
Before the tourist season, in collaboration with Telašćica Nature Park and Natura Jadera, we drafted a Decision on limiting the use of single-use plastics for businesses. The decision was adopted in the area of Telašćica Nature Park, making this roundtable a perfect opportunity to gather feedback on its practical implementation.
Dugi Otok also has important news, very significant for environmental protection.
– From this year, Dugi Otok is technologically ready for waste sorting. We began implementing this during the summer in certain settlements, – announced Ivo Juranov, director of the municipal company Mulić d.o.o.
Waste production clogs our environment and affects our health, so it is crucial to reduce waste in the first place. We know that public events generate large amounts of waste, and this summer, Dugi Otok was more sustainable in that regard. Our reusable cup was used at the Saljske Užance festival as well as at smaller events.
Sail with us!
Always choose a reusable cup and, in doing so, choose a healthy environment! Reusable cups, bags, food containers and cutlery, all that matters is that after use, they don’t end up in the trash, and you’ve already contributed to a cleaner environment. Keep this especially in mind at public events: if reusable options aren’t offered, solve the problem yourself, bring your own cup and enjoy. Even a single cup can spark change.
Share the video and inspire change – together, without plastic!
The project is co-financed by the Office for NGO-s of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.
