Large quantities of plastic waste end up in rivers and oceans every day - especially in Asia and Africa, but also in Europe and Germany. To draw attention to this problem, the non-governmental organisation Clean River Project e.V. organised a waste collection campaign in Düsseldorf on 14 August. The initiator was environmentalist Stephan Horch, who is organising a CleanUp tour by kayak from Koblenz to Berlin and regularly gathers numerous supporters in the cities along the route.
Equipped with gloves, tongs and bin bags, the 50 or so participants set off on Wednesday from the marina in Düsseldorf in the direction of the Rhine beaches, where they collected cigarette butts, glass bottles and all kinds of plastic waste, as well as informing fellow human beings of the The problem of waste pollution were informed. Representatives from PlasticsEurope Germany, Messe Düsseldorf and the national canoeing team, the latter as part of Team Plastics, also took part in the clean-up campaign.
Plastics industry sensitised to water protection
This special commitment made sense in many respects: in October, Düsseldorf is Host of the K 2019the world's leading trade fair for plastics, a material that is currently the most visible sign of increased littering in public spaces. Messe Düsseldorf, the German Canoeing Association, other water sports associations, PlasticsEurope Germany and its sponsorship initiative Team Kunststoff have therefore been working together for some time to protect waterways.
In essence, this is about Dialogue and education at trade fairs and sporting events. The aim of a Sensitisation The Clean River Project shares the alliance's goal of encouraging citizens to handle waste more carefully.
"For us as plastic producers, every piece of plastic waste in the environment is one too many. The Versatility of plastic packaging makes it easier to transport and consume food and drinks outside the home, especially for sports and leisure activities - whether in reusable boxes or service packaging from the supermarket. However, it is also important - and we emphasise this through various channels - that the waste is disposed of and recycled properly afterwards."
Dr Rüdiger BaunemannManaging Director of PlasticsEurope Deutschland e. V.
Stephan Horch's CleanUp Tour will run for a few more weeks until the beginning of September. PlasticsEurope Germany and Team Kunststoff will continue to support the project and will also be present at the entrance to the Final stop on 6 September 2019 in Berlin be there.
Clean River Project - Paddling and photo art for clean rivers and seas!
Educate, raise awareness, actively clean up: with these measures, the non-profit organisation Environmental, art and education project Clean River Project e.V. to combat plastic waste in German waters. The start of their latest paddling tour was on 9 August in Koblenz. After passing through the CleanUp stations in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Oberhausen, Hanover and Magdeburg, the environmentalists' journey will finally end in the German capital on 6 September after covering around 750 kilometres of river.
By creatively staging the plastic waste collected while paddling, the project attracts public attention and raises general awareness of the problem. In addition, the initiators Lectures and organise CleanUp eventswhere sections of the river are actively cleared of plastic waste with the help of volunteers.
On Saturday, 19 October 2019, the environmental activists will also present their projects and campaigns at the K 2019 special show "Plastics shape the future" introduce. More information on the campaign can be found at https://cleanriverproject.de/.
Source: PlasticsEurope Deutschland e. V.
