The “Babeș-Bolyai” University (UBB) in Cluj-Napoca, through the Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, will launch the European initiative ‘Plastic Pirates in Romania’, a participatory research project (Citizen Science) funded by the Horizon Europe program.

“This initiative marks the debut of Romania’s participation in one of the most important European projects dedicated to monitoring plastic pollution in the continent’s rivers and aims to actively involve citizens in scientific and environmental protection activities. On this occasion, students from the ‘Ana Aslan’ Technical College in Cluj-Napoca and the ‘Dumitru Tăuțan’ Theoretical High School in Florești will carry out a practical action of taking macro- and microplastic samples from the Someșul Mic River based on the Plastic Pirates sampling methodology, thus contributing to the collection of relevant scientific data on plastic pollution of watercourses,” reads a statement sent by UBB.

The launch event will take place on Tuesday, May 6, in the Florești commune, downstream of the Florești II Hydropower Plant.

“The event aims to be a model of collaboration between educational institutions, the community and researchers, in support of environmental protection and ecological education,” the organizers say.

Local authorities, county and regional authorities in the field of environmental protection, the Cluj County School Inspectorate, as well as representatives of civil society – environmental NGOs, were invited to the event.

Source: Agerpres