Plastic Cup Initiative

The Plastic Cup Initiative (PCI) provides an innovative, comprehensive stakeholder management methodology for tackling plastic pollution in inland waters, which are critical pathways to marine environments, through its combination of innovation, citizen engagement, awareness-raising, and hands-on cleanup activities along the Tisza and the Danube rivers. The initiative demonstrates scalable, replicable solutions for reducing waste leakage at source and follows its own 7 River Literacy Principles. By integrating technological tools for waste monitoring and involving authorities and local stakeholders, the Plastic Cup embodies the mission’s goals of preventing and eliminating pollution, fostering systemic change, and creating replicable best practices for a healthy ocean, seas, and waters by 2030. The Plastic Cup Initiative's work is supported by hundreds of wonderful volunteers and 80 highly trained river cleanup coordinators. PCI has implemented interventions within the framework of river renaturation and restoration projects, in close collaboration with the local water departments and other stakeholders. To date, they have successfully removed more than 430 tons of riverine litter, primarily plastic, of which 210 tons have been recycled.