Scientists from the Institute of Marine Biology of the University of Montenegro (IBMK) have conducted a detailed study of plastic waste along the Bojana River, as part of the TETHYS4ADRION project, valued at almost 1.7 million euros.
The project was launched in September 2024 and will last for three years. It is aimed at improving cross-border cooperation among the countries in the region to reduce plastic waste pollution in rivers that belong to the Adriatic and Ionian Sea basins. It involves partners—scientific organizations, cities, and universities from Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece.
The main goal of the TETHYS4ADRION project is to investigate the role and contribution of rivers in polluting the waters of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas with plastic, as well as to develop methods and strategies to reduce this pollution.
The field research was conducted by the IBMK team from July 4 to 20, using a local fishing boat to follow a 20-kilometer stretch of the Bojana River, from the mouth to an area near the border with Albania.
“To collect the most relevant data, we used three methods: visual observation of floating waste and the riverbank from the boat, identification of illegal landfills in the river’s floodplain, and drone footage. Preliminary findings showed small amounts of floating plastic and an absence of waste on the riverbank itself. However, at several calmer locations, larger accumulations of waste were noted along the bank, trapped in vegetation,” the Institute announced, adding that several illegal landfills, mostly of construction waste, were also recorded in the wider floodplain around the riverbed.
IBMK particularly emphasized that, although only 41 kilometers long, the Bojana River is one of the most unique rivers in the Balkans.
“It originates from Lake Skadar in Montenegro and flows into the Adriatic Sea, partially forming a natural border between Montenegro and Albania. Due to its exceptional natural beauty, biological diversity, and cultural significance, the Bojana was chosen as one of the five pilot rivers within the TETHYS4ADRION project,” concluded IBMK.
Source: vijesti.me
Photo: ucg.ac.me/ibm