Guest Blog: Plastic Pirates initiative in Belgium

Within the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), our scientific research is deeply committed to the marine environment. Therefore, we are hyper aware that plastic pollution is a growing threat to our rivers, seas, and coastal ecosystems. Here in Flanders, where waterways like the Scheldt and Yzer flow directly into the North Sea, the problem hits close to home. But tackling an issue of this scale requires more than just awareness—it demands action.

Marine litter on Belgian coast. Source: https://www.compendiumkustenzee.be/en/what-do-we-know-2021-about-marine-litter-and-microplastics-belgium

Setting up a pilot project

In the autumn of 2022, we did a pilot campaign to test out the Plastic Pirates protocol (which had been running for several years in Chile and Germany) and get familiar with their way of working. Within this campaign, around 15 schools decided to participate and examine a river on plastic pollution in their own neighbourhood using several experiments. We organized online training sessions for the teachers to get comfortable with sampling data in a correct and scientific way. 

A participating school (De Pagaaier in Nieuwpoort) collecting and quantifying plastic waste at the Yzer river (source: Line Debaveye, VLIZ)

By putting research tools and strategies directly in the hands of Flemish students and teachers, the initiative combines hands-on learning with real scientific impact. Schools across Flanders participate in sampling campaigns and are at the forefront in helping to uncover patterns in where this pollution comes from and how it moves through the environment. 

Start of the official campaign 

Due to the success of the 2022 pilot, the Plastic Pirates Belgium initiative continued with a new campaign in 2024 supported by the Flemish government (department of economy, science & innovation). Spearheaded by VLIZ, a local project kick-off was organized to bring together various initiatives, organizations and projects working with similar themes such as (marine) litter, plastic pollution and citizen science to foster a community and collaboration where possible.

During the first official year of the project, two sampling campaigns were held in autumn and spring 2024 including around 35 class groups into the project. Diverse rivers across Flanders were sampled and valuable data was collected. During these campaigns, we experienced how important it is to have a direct connection with the teachers that are participating. If teachers have questions or are experiencing problems with the protocol, then it can be valuable for them to have a direct contact point that can address their needs. Having this will help to keep their motivation up in the long term. 

Online interactive map with sampling points across Belgium from 2022 to 2024. Source: https://www.plastic-pirates.eu/dt/results/map

In collaboration with the other project partners, we developed a comprehensive coastal protocol as part of the "Plastic Pirates - Go Europe!" initiative to document marine plastic waste along Europe's diverse coastlines. In Spring 2024, multiple class groups tested the protocol at our Belgian coast and gave us feedback on their experience. Recognizing that clean oceans begin with clean rivers, the protocol emphasizes the interconnectedness of waterways, advocating for a holistic approach to tackling pollution at its source.

Project booklet for coasts and beaches. Source: https://www.plastic-pirates.eu/sites/default/files/document/2024-10/PP_coastal%20booklet_EN_final.pdf

Gathering and verifying data 

Once teachers have executed the sampling with their students, they end up with interesting scientific data on plastic pollution in a river (or beach) of their choosing. Then, they will send their collected data to VLIZ where we will start the validation process. Having a validation step within a citizen science project is often very important to increase the credibility and completeness of the data. If certain data points are missing or are unclear, we get back to the teacher for further clarification which increases general data quality. 

Streamlining European Plastic Pirates data 

Next to being a project partner in the Plastic Pirates – Go Europe project, VLIZ (VLIZ Marine Data Centre) also manages and streamlines all the European data collected by the various Plastic Pirates project partners in the participating countries. By doing so, we aim to create a database on plastic pollution that spans across Europe and can be compared between countries. Having this database enables us to research plastic pollution at a European scope, discover pollution trends at an international level and recommend possible solutions that span across multiple countries. To boost the usefulness of the database, we made it publicly available to use via Zenodo (https://zenodo.org/records/14419564 and https://zenodo.org/records/14506687).

Future prospects 

By empowering schools, teachers, and students with the tools and knowledge to contribute meaningful data, we hope to not only advance scientific understanding but also foster a new generation of environmental stewards. In the coming years, we wish to expand the school network within the project and sample as many rivers and coastlines as possible to get a clear view on the plastic pollution problem in Flanders. Together with all the European partners, we hope to contribute to the foundations for a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future for our rivers, seas, and ocean. 

This guest blog was written by Line Debaveye from the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ).

Contact: line.debaveye@vliz.be

Guest blog: From Environmental Justice at Lake Titicaca to Nature-Based Solutions at Lake Victoria - Citizen Science as a Driver of Social Innovation

Citizen science is proving to be a powerful tool for promoting inclusive water resource management. By involving local communities in research initiatives, it not only generates valuable data but also raises awareness and empowers stakeholders to advocate for their environmental rights. At the Water and Climate Department of Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB), we are embracing citizen science to foster local engagement, collaborative learning, and empower communities to take an active role in sustainable resource management. 

Lake Titicaca (Bolivia)

In the Bolivian Andes, we are partnering with the Subcentral Chojasivi, a coalition of four Aymaran indigenous communities along the shores of Lake Titicaca. For over two decades, these communities have suffered from severe water pollution caused by over 2 million tons of mining waste, 20 million cubic meters of urban and industrial wastewater, and 800 tons of solid urban waste from upstream the Katari River Basin. Once home to thriving fisheries, the river now shows no signs of fish life, with younger generations having never seen a fish in its waters. The river has become eutrophic, with dangerously high pollution levels, resulting in profound environmental injustices that threaten food security, water and sanitation, and public health. 

Acid Mine Drainage, Milluni Valley, Katari River Basin (Bolivia)

The citizen science project is empowering the indigenous communities of Chojasivi through water quality monitoring for environmental justice advocacy. Although water quality monitoring is often seen as highly sophisticated and technical process, the project explores collaborative learning by working with high school students from local villages to develop skills in water quality testing.

Local indigenous authorities from Lake Titicaca engaged in discussions on water quality assessment methods.

Additionally, in alliance with the Bolivian Catholic University, participatory workshops revealed water quality indicators meaning and their connection to pollution sources. After five months of monitoring, the students presented their findings to other community members in a public event, sparking discussions about water quality deterioration and the need for environmental justice advocacy.

High school students from Chojasivi implementing water quality monitoring.

In East Africa, our efforts are centered on the lower Yala River Basin, a critical tributary of Lake Victoria. Despite the escalating impacts of agriculture, deforestation, and urbanization in the upper reaches of the Yala River, the 176-square kilometer Yala Swamp, located near the river's mouth, remains a vital ecosystem. This wetland serves as a natural filter, safeguarding Lake Victoria from water quality degradation. As a biodiversity hotspot, the Yala Swamp provides additional essential ecosystem services to local communities, including water purification.

Outlet area, Yala Swamp

However, the Yala Swamp is increasingly threatened by expanding human settlements, prompting local authorities to seek sustainable management strategies. Through a citizen science project in collaboration with the rural communities of Barkanyango and Usenge, we aim to investigate water quality dynamics within the swamp and cultivate a renewed appreciation for its invaluable ecosystem services.

Local community members collecting water, Yala swamp

High school students from these communities are actively engaged in data collection, mentored by young facilitators from Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, who facilitate participatory learning experiences. Following the 10-month water quality monitoring campaign, the project will implement a workshop that brings together community members from both upstream and downstream regions, local officials, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations to discuss the findings and devise potential conservation strategies for this critical natural resource.

We are soon launching new initiatives in Cuba and Rwanda promoting inclusive governance of water and other natural resources, while helping to reduce the global water quality data gap. These projects are implemented under the AXA Chair on Water Quality And Global Change, the UNESCO Chair on Open Water Science and Education and the Global Minds Program from VLIR UOS. 

Contact Persons:  

Afnan Agramont, afnan.agramont.akiyama@vub.be  

Analy Baltodano, baltodano.martinez.analy@vub.be  

Ann van Griensven, ann.van.griensven@vub.be  

The first co-design workshop of Citizens4Water

On May 23rd 2024, we organised an online co-design workshop within the Citizens4Water project, as a first step to set up a global repository of citizen science initiatives for hydrology and water management.

A variety of citizen science professionals working in hydrology and water management took part, based all over the world, including participants from Europe, America, Africa and Australia.

After getting to know each other in an interactive introduction, we presented the project plan and discussed the aims and vision for the repository. Subsequently, participants gave feedback on the repository needs and functions, and the reporting template through three different rounds.

The participants named three main use and community benefits for the online platform:

1. An overview of the current projects, incl. best practices, general information, content, technology used…

2. A way to share experiences from own projects and expertise

3. A better way to find related projects for collaboration.

We also discussed the end-user needs. Three main needs that can be addressed by the platform were named:

1. Knowledge sharing

2. Inspiration

3. Accessibility of information  

Finally, we discussed the reporting template that projects must fill out to be part of the repository. We gathered useful suggestions for improvements.

A more detailed report of the workshop can be downloaded through the link below.

We would like to thank all the participants for their valuable questions and feedback. We greatly appreciate all the input and will take everything in consideration when further developing the platform and reporting template.

In the coming months, we are planning one-on-one interviews to gather more in-depth feedback. The platform and reporting template will be developed and launched in 2025. In the meantime, everyone is invited to share feedback through this padlet board. Finally, to stay updated on the next steps of the project, please sign up to our newsletter.