Project aim: The CLEAN Beach project addresses a significant environmental challenge – current beach microplastic pollution monitoring methods are not suitable for the diverse types of beaches surrounding the Baltic Sea, making it difficult to compare data and effectively prevent pollution. Project partners set to develop guidelines for harmonized, simple and inexpensive microplastic pollution monitoring. Different approaches for detecting microplastics in beach sand will be evaluated, developing a unified, simple and inexpensive monitoring method that is suitable for different types of beaches. This will allow to increase the number and frequency of monitored beaches.
Outreach and educational activities in Latvia, Estonia and Finland will be organized to raise awareness about plastic pollution and ways to reduce it, focusing on informing general public about the most common litter types found on beaches. Through outreach activities project team will engage the public to contribute available environmental data and report litter findings in nature using a digital citizen science platform Rosgis.
Project duration: 01.05.2025. – 31.10.2026.
Project partners:
- Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology – lead partner
- Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech)
- The Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
Contact information:
Marta Barone, researcher
marta.barone[at]lhei.lv
Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology
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