On 5-6 November 2024, representatives from all participating Plastic Pirates countries gathered in Brussels. Together with students, teachers, partners, scientists, and policymakers we reviewed the outcomes, results, insights, and lessons learned from expanding this citizen science initiative across Europe. It was truly amazing!

At the Plastic Pirates Summit in Brussels, young Plastic Pirates shared their first-hand experiences, describing how their involvement in the project motivated them to adopt more sustainable behaviors. Through poster presentations, they provided insights into the initiative's implementation in their countries and its accomplishments to date. Their posters are now online.

Exciting news: The Plastic Pirates Coastal Booklets are now available online – in English and German. Interested schools and youth groups will be able to sample at coasts and beaches in addition to rivers, streams and brooks. The Coastal Booklet serves as a step-by-step guide to collect scientific data on plastic pollution at beaches.

Since June 2022, the “Plastic Pirates – Go Europe!” initiative has expanded to 13 European countries, engaging more than 16,000 students who have sampled over 350 rivers and coasts. Find out more about the success factors and our 12 lessons-learned from upscaling a citizen science initiative across Europe.

2024 marks 40 years since the launch of the EU’s first funding programme dedicated to science, research and innovation. The booklet presents a symbolic 40 stories to illustrate the breadth of R&I made possible through EU R&I funding and some of the results achieved over the last 40 years.

A new publication called “Riverbank plastic distributions and how to sample them”, which was released in November 2024, compares riverbank sampling methods – including the Plastic Pirates protocol. One of their findings is that “the ’Plastic Pirates’ protocol showed significantly higher accuracy than random sampling within the same area”.

You are curious to learn everything about the Plastic Pirates? You are eager for the latest updates on our samplings and findings? Follow us now on our brand-new Plastic Pirates LinkedIn channel! Stay informed with the latest news, insights, and updates. Join our growing community and be part of the conversation.