The application of digital methods and community engagement to reduce plastic waste in the Caspian Sea.

The main aim of the CRIPTIC project (Cleaning Riverine Plastic from a Transboundary Inflow to the Caspian) is to apply digital methods and community engagement to reduce plastic waste in the Caspian Sea. The sub-objectives are:

1 – To harmonize mapping method
2 – to mobilize local organizations in mapping and cleaning operations
3 – to run a local pilot project on plastic waste mapping and cleaning using multidisciplinary tools and
4 – to raise public awareness and community engagement in combating plastic waste.
⠀
The project will combine a range of advanced digital methods, educational programs, and citizen science to engage local stakeholders in plastic mapping and clean-up activities.

CRIPTIC considers the transboundary Kura River mouth and the adjacent coastal area as the pilot area for mapping, identification, and cleaning of plastic waste in the Caspian region. Crossing three countries, the Kura River is the biggest river of Azerbaijan and is considered as the second water supplier to the Caspian Sea.