Researcher PhD Marta Barone from the Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology (LHEI) presented the “Clean Beach” initiative at the final conference of the international BALTIPLAST project, held in Turku, Finland.
LHEI Expertise in Plastic Pollution Monitoring Showcased at the BALTIPLAST Final Conference
Researcher PhD Marta Barone from the Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology (LHEI) presented the “Clean Beach” initiative at the final conference of the international BALTIPLAST project, held in Turku, Finland.
Over two days, the conference brought together researchers, municipal representatives, environmental activists, and students to exchange knowledge on project outcomes, practical solutions, strategic objectives, and long-term visions for reducing plastic pollution in the Baltic Sea region. The programme covered a wide thematic scope, ranging from the reuse of secondary materials in construction and the pathways of nanoplastics within mollusc and shrimp organisms, to comprehensive research on plastic pollution in the Baltic Sea and the implementation of zero-waste practices at public events. Representatives from Helsinki, Tallinn, Valmiera, Västerås, and Daugavpils municipalities shared both transferable best practices and context-specific challenges.
The “Clean Beach” project was presented as a concrete example of effective public engagement in environmental research. Marta Barone highlighted the project’s citizen science approach, which actively involves local communities in the collection of research data and in environmental awareness-raising activities along coastal areas. The initiative demonstrates the added value of community-based monitoring for understanding plastic pollution dynamics while strengthening public responsibility and environmental literacy. A shared objective united all initiatives presented at the conference – the development of a positive, forward-looking vision for the Baltic Sea with significantly reduced plastic pollution through scalable and implementable solutions.
As emphasised by the BALTIPLAST project organisers in the closing session:
“The conference concluded with one clear message: solutions are no longer hypothetical. They have been tested, implemented in practice, and are ready for wider deployment. The network supporting these solutions is stronger than ever. If this momentum continues, the Baltic Sea will not only recover but will also emerge as a model for regional cooperation in circular economy and community-based environmental initiatives.”
The conference was organised by the Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC) and featured contributions from Björn Grönholm, Katri Lehtinen, Nea Metsänranta, Jelena Barbir, Andrea Dobri, Walter Leal, Kevin Langhorst, Marta Ruiz, Reinhard Saborowski, Lars Gutow, Kati Kauppi, Liina Kanarbik, Olof Bergold, Liga Biezina, Jolanta Reca, Viktoria Voronova, Eugeniy Lobanov, Estefania Carpio Vallejo, Helena Dahlbo, Hedy Meinander, Milica Velimirovic Fanfani, Marta Barone un Agnieszka Ilola, Heidrun Fammler, Harri Moora, Johanna Gäbken, Maria Hammarling, Irina Paegle, Nikolaos Tragotsis, Rosa Puusaari.
BALTIPLAST project webpage