After Dubrovnik, one more city has joined our project and became the second plastic smart city in Croatia which aims to reduce plastic waste in our seas; Trogir has also said “NO” to plastic!
Association Sunce Split, in cooperation with WWF Mediterranean, has started this year the implementation of the Plastic Smart Cities Croatia project, in which one partner is municipality or city by the sea. City or municipality will contribute to the reduction of their plastic footprint in various segments of social life of the local community through the implementation of project activities and encourage the use of alternative solutions for plastic waste. The City or municipality will also implement measures to reduce the flow of plastic waste in nature by 2030. The first Croatian Plastic Smart City which has started the implementation of project measures and activities was Dubrovnik, and recently The City of Trogir joined too.
The Mediterranean is one of the most polluted seas in the world. Coastal activities contribute to half of waste entering the Mediterranean Sea. Croatia generates 400kTs of plastic waste each year or 96 kg of plastic per capita. Among the 22 Mediterranean countries in the region, Croatia is the tenth-highest manufacturer of plastic products. It has the third highest per capita waste generation in the region, which attests to the high level of production and consumption of plastic. Therefore, it is very important to take urgent measures and make citizens, as well as numerous visitors, aware of the need for urgent action, to reduce the use of single use plastic. Namely, tourism has been identified as one of the key actors, and part of the awareness campaign under the Plastic Smart Cities project is aimed at foreign and domestic tourists.
Throughout the implementation of the project activities in the next 18 months, emphasis will be given on research activities, creation of analyses and plans, organization of workshops and public events, as well as raising awareness among the citizens of the City of Trogir, and eventually of all citizens in Croatia, about the causes and consequences of plastic pollution for the environment, the marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and human health.
By joining this project, The City of Trogir continues to implement environmentally responsible measures. In 2019, The City of Trogir adopted the Decision to ban the use of single use plastic in the city administration premises; plastic bottles and cups were thrown out of use and replaced with glass ones which can be reused.
Project start date: 1st July 2020.
Project duration: 18 months