Macroplastic transport measurements in the Ishem River, the most polluted river in Europe
Abstract
The Ishem River has a catchment area of 673 km2 and a length of 79.2 km and crosses the northern part of Albania. It is formed by the confluence of the tributaries Tirana, Terkuza and Zeza. The condition of the Ishem is extremely degraded from an ecological point of view, as untreated sewage is discharged from adjacent cities such as Tirana, Kamza and Fushe-Kruja. In principle, the river would have a high ecological potential if its original state could be restored. Once its water was used for irrigation, fishing and cattle breeding, now it is the most polluted river in Europe, according to The Ocean Cleanup: 733,000 kg of solid waste per year pass through it into the Adriatic Sea. The Ishem Estuary is located within the Patok-Fushekuqe-Ishem MPA with an area of 5,000 ha under protected status. It is a managed IUCN Category IV nature reserve and important bird area (AL006). In addition, the Cape Rodon Nature Reserve (2,500 ha), which is classified in IUCN category V, is located in this area. The project plans to gain new knowledge about the origin and fate of floating macroplastics in the Ishem and, more generally, to highlight the extent and problematic aspects of plastic pollution in rivers. This knowledge can then be used to take sustainable action to clean up the river.
Project staff
Marcel Georg Liedermann
Dipl.-Ing.Dr.nat.techn. Marcel Georg Liedermann
marcel.liedermann@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81914
Project Leader
01.05.2023 - 30.04.2025
Sebastian Pessenlehner
Dipl.-Ing. Sebastian Pessenlehner Bakk.techn.
sebastian.pessenlehner@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81924
Sub Projectleader
01.05.2023 - 30.04.2025