Zlarin to become first plastic-free Croatian island

Zlarin (Photo: Gojko Vukov Colić/Croatian Tourist Board)

The Dalmatian island of Zlarin is set to become the first plastic-free Croatian island. 

The island, located near the city of Šibenik, has a population of around 300 people which grows to over 4,000 during the summer thanks to tourists and those who have holiday homes on the island. 

Over 15,000 plastic bags end up in the island’s waste every summer with a large portion also ending up in the sea and around the island. 

Zlarin will pilot a project which will see it become plastic-free after the initiative ‘Zlarin – plastic-free island’ won the Adriatic Plastic Challenge competition. 

Zlarin locals Ana Robb and Nataša Kandijaš, and environmental activists Ivan Kordić and Jelena Radošević were the team behind the winning initiative which will now be trialled, Jutarnji list writes.

The winning team (Photo: Terra Hub)

Next summer Zlarin will aim to eliminate all single-use plastic items such as plastic bags, plates, cutlery, straws and cups. Locals are fully behind the pilot and hope that the idea is embraced by visitors in the summer.

A meeting with owners of tourist businesses and shops on the island will take place this month will an agreement over which plastic items can be replaced with ecologically acceptable alternatives. 

Plastics cause a big environmental problem (Pixabay)

A number of educational workshops will be held on Zlarin leading up to summer to help educate about the problem plastics are causing for the environment. 

Locals are fully behind the pilot and hope that the idea is embraced by visitors in the summer.