With the publication of two macrolitter and floating litter datasets on Zenodo – an open-access data platform that enables researchers to share and preserve datasets, publications, and software – the Plastic Pirates - Go Europe! project has reached a milestone. 

Collected by school children across Europe between 2022 and 2024, this data offers valuable insights into the amount and variety of both macrolitter found on riverbanks and floating macro-, meso-, and microlitter in surface waters. The information has been carefully validated by experts from the Plastic Pirates partner institutes.

The macrolitter dataset includes data on litter collected in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain. Access the full datasets on Zenodo.     

The floating litter dataset covers Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Portugal, and Slovenia. Micro-litter particles have been analysed in the lab to assess their characteristics, including size, type, color, and material. Access the full datasets on Zenodo.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the many school children and teachers who made this achievement possible by collecting the data on rivers and waterways all across Europe.