Keeping the Danube blue with the #EUBeachCleanup!

On 29 August 2024, as part of the Danube Delta Summer School, organised by the Danube Delta National Institute for Research and Development (INCDDD) in collaboration with the International Association for Danube Research (IAD), over 30 participants from eight countries came together for a significant beach clean-up at Sulina coastal area.  

This initiative, part of the #EUBeachCleanup, was not just a practical action but a way for the students and experts to give back to nature, connect with the environment, and deepen their understanding of the delicate ecosystems they aim to protect. 

Participants, including students selected from the IAD network and experts from Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Serbia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Ukraine, joined forces with 10 representatives from the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Administration (ARBDD) to tackle the waste accumulated along a 6 km stretch of Sulina Beach, from the Military Unit to the Împuțita Channel. Despite the heavy rain, this dedicated group managed to collect more than 170 bags of waste, including 60 kg of metal! 

What made this clean-up particularly impactful was the integration of modern technology—part of the collected waste was mapped using a specialised app, and the data gathered will be utilised in upcoming scientific articles, contributing to ongoing research on pollution in the Danube Delta. 

This event was a true collaboration, with crucial support from the Sulina Municipality, which provided transportation, and J.T. Grup S.R.L., who handled waste sorting and transport. The ARBDD staff worked tirelessly alongside the international volunteers, showcasing the power of teamwork and shared responsibility in environmental conservation. 

Inspired? Organise an event and join the #EUBeachCleanup!  

 Every year, the European Union, in partnership with the United Nations and the Smurfs, organises an ocean-activism and awareness-raising campaign - #EUBeachCleanup - featuring beach, river banks and various clean-up events across the world. 

World Cleanup Day 2024 will be on Friday 20 September – but any events organised between 10 June and 31 October counts! 

While most events take place on the beach, we also encourage people living far away from the sea to organise clean-ups. 

 Learn more and our website, check-out our already organised events, or register your own!  

 Already joined and want to share your story? Send us your text and pictures at EU-BEACHCLEANUPec [dot] europa [dot] eu (EU-BEACHCLEANUP[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)