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BLUEISLANDS
The BLUEISLANDS project's goal was to identify, address and mitigate the effects of the seasonal variation of waste generation on Mediterranean islands as an effect of tourism, and establish the necessary conditions to fuel local loops of circular economy.
Project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, 2016-2020.
Highlights
After over three years of work, BLUEISLANDS came to an end in April 2020 with a successful web-conference organised in cooperation with the European Parliament Intergroup on Climate Change Biodiversity and Sustainable Development. In a very peculiar time for tourism, the speakers discussed the role that circular economy plays in the future of tourism and in the recovery phase after the COVID-19 pandemic. A video recording and a full report of the event are available online.
The end of the project also saw several capacity building workshops organised locally in the partners’ regions to capitalise on the work done throughout the project.
{slider THE PROJECT}
The BLUEISLANDS project aimed to properly identify, address and mitigate the effects of the seasonal variation of waste generation on Mediterranean islands as an effect of tourism. The ultimate goal of the project was to establish the necessary conditions so that the waste generated on each island could serve as a resource bank which will be used to fuel local loops of circular economy.
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The BLUEISLANDS project measured the quantity and composition of waste generated over a twelve-month period on nine Mediterranean islands, examining the correlation between the quantified waste generated and both the number of tourists and the presence of litter in the coastal environment. BLUEISLANDS also monitored the presence of anthropogenic nutrients in coastal seawaters to study the impact of tourism on marine coastal areas.
On the basis of a report prepared from the results derived from all nine islands involved, the BLUEISLANDS project formulated a multidimensional tool, in order to allow potential stakeholders to address effectively the problematic phenomenon. Over a twelve-month period was implemented with selected action plans for each participating island, while the efficacy of each action plan was evaluated.
BLUEISLANDS also carried out an awareness-raising campaign targeting tourists visiting the partner islands, and organised several events to inform and engage local stakeholders on the issues caused by the high amount of waste generated during the high touristic season.
{slider PROJECT RESULTS}
Find out more about the main outcomes of BLUEISLANDS by downloading the summary of results. If you prefer to focus on the studying and testing phase, read the extracts we have prepared about the studying and the testing phase.
Summary of results
Highlights from the studying and testing phase
For a detailed overview of the key findings, you can watch this comprehensive video presentation
{slider WASTE MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK}
The BLUEISLANDS project released a Waste Management Handbook which gathers examples of good practices and innovations that were implemented in Mediterranean islands coastal areas to answer the problems highlighted during the studying phase of the project:
Political level
“Passing of Law 8/2019, of February, 19th, of Waste and Contaminated Soils” / Mallorca
“Waste management in the medieval town of Rhodes” / Rhodes
“Hold on to Your Butt” program / Municipality of Mykonos
“Sort It Out Campaign” / Wasteserv Malta
“Ban plastic into the beaches” / Sardinia
Societal level
“Installation of ecological ashtrays” / Mallorca
“Sicilia Munnizza Free” / Sicily
“Pilot activities in touristic beaches and beaches for locals” / Region of Crete
“Rewarding Recycling Centres for citizens” / Rhodes
“Adopt-A-Beach program” / Municipality of Mykonos
“Awareness Campaign – BlueIslands pilot project” / Wasteserv Malta
“Blue Bag” / Primorje – Gorski Kotar County (Croatia)
Technical level
“Extension of the existing methanisation plant” / Mallorca
“Development of Pilot Rewarding Mobile Recycling” / Rhodes
“Use of Recycling Press Container” / Municipality of Mykonos
“Easily recycling big amount of organic waste through large-scale composting” / Région Sud - France
“Recycling big amounts of plastics into urban furniture” / Région Sud - France
“Evaluating and extracting highly recyclable waste in electronic devices” / Région Sud - France
“Kerbside collection vehicles as a social marketing campaign” / Wasteserv Malta
“Eco Island of Krk” / Primorje – Gorski Kotar County (Croatia).
{slider THE CHARTER OF COMMITMENT}
To draw attention and build awareness on the topic of waste in relation to tourism, BLUEISLANDS joined forces with the Horizon 2020 URBAN-WASTE project and launched a “Charter of commitments for sustainable material resources management and circular economy”
Originally launched in January 2018, this manifesto has so far been signed by 27 signatories including cities, regions, waste management authorities and even the European Parliament’s Intergroup for Seas, Regions, Islands and Coastal areas. The Charter represents a declaration of intent to adapt the tourism sector to the environmental capacity of the areas of interest, developing strategies to reduce and manage tourism-generated waste. It gives voice to a shared vision of sustainable and environmental-friendly tourism.
{slider WEBINARS}
To transfer the knowledge acquired throughout the project, four capacity building webinars took place. The topics covered were:
- Integrated coastal zone management for tourism destinations adapting to climate change;
- Circular economy in Mediterranean islands;
- Life cycle assessment for waste management;
- Educational and technical tools for sustainable tourism.
You can follow the webinars anytime here.
{slider NEXT STEPS PLAN}
To capitalise on the project findings and to disseminate them worldwide, BLUEISLANDS developed a strategic note with proposals & suggestions for an efficient waste management in Mediterranean Islands, including recommendations for policy makers. This plan identifies how the key results of the project can be shared to other territories, but also have impact on the local, regional, national, and EU policies.
To the plan
{slider PARTNERS INVOLVED}
BLUEISLANDS project’s leader is Cyprus Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment (CY).
The project brings together partners from 8 countries:
- ACR+, Association of Cities and Regions for Sustainable Resource Management (BE)
- UAB, Autonomous University of Barcelona (ES)
- Balearic Islands Government (ES)
- CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences (IT)
- Council of Mallorca Environment department (ES)
- Rhodes Municipality (GR)
- EA Eco-Enterprises (FR)
- Sardinia Region* (IT)
- Taormina Etna Consortium (IT)
- INSULEUR, Network of the Insular CCI of the European Union (GR)
- Municipality of Mykonos (GR)
- Primorje - Gorski Kotar county (HR)
- Region of Crete (GR)
- Wasteserv Malta* (MT)
* ACR+ member
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