The CRoCuS project (Cleaner Rivers - Cleaner Seas) is close to an end and the implementing public organizations sum up the results. This way, during over two years, a series of activities were performed to raise the awareness, to demonstrate activities and to exchange practices and mini treatment, composting and irrigation installations were built. There was created an application through which citizens can inform the authorities about waste stored in their locality.
In a news conference hosted by IPN, Elena Zubcov, who heads the public association “Society of Ecotoxicologists of the Republic of Moldova” (ECOTOX), said the CRoCuS project is implemented under a partnership that includes the Bulgarian foundation Earth Forever, the public association WiSDOM and the public association ECOTOX of Moldova, Mama-86 Nova Kahovka of Ukraine and the Oancea mayor’s office of Romania. The project is financed by the EU through the European Neighborhood Facility as part of the Joint Operational Program Black Sea Basin 2014-2020.
Elena Zubcov, a doctor habilitate of biological sciences, said that informative materials were printed when the project was launched and were distributed to schools, organizations, etc. Besides brochures, the practical side was an important aspect of the project. Activities were staged in localities to show how waste is composted and stored separately or how it can be reused. Mini-compositing systems were built near the Lower Prut region and in Piatra commune of Orhei district. Instruments for chopping branches were bought and were later offered to mayor’s offices.
Whole communities were mobilized to take up in cleanup activities, including on banks of rivers. These practices were later replicated and continue to be used. The cleanup and demonstration events involved teachers, students and representatives of the local public authorities.
Nadejda Andreev, head of the public association “Women in Sustainable Development of Moldova” (WiSDOM), said the project activities centered on sensitization to the prevention and reduction of pollution of rivers. “We staged demonstration events to show how to compost, how to use plastic waste, how to assess the most polluted areas. A number of the mini-installations remained in communities, schools,” stated the doctor of biological sciences
A Trash Alert Mobile Application (TAMA), which enables to rapidly identify polluted areas in the Republic of Moldova and to inform the authorities about these, was developed as part of the project. The application will be presented on December 20, when it is celebrated International Human Solidarity Day.
Anastasia Ivanov, doctor of biological sciences, noted that they also faced impediments while implementing the project, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This way, some of the events were moved online or to the open air. However, it was a unique experience, including the exchange of good practices between the partners of the project. “I hope that in the future, we will implement more projects and activities so as to manage to improve the ecological situation in the countries of the Black Sea Basin and to secure a better future for children and society on the whole,” she said.
Note: IPN News Agency gives the right of reply to persons who consider they were touched by the news items produced based on statements of the organizers of the given news conference, including by facilitating the organization of another news conference in similar conditions.
