“I hadn’t even realised that citizen science existed at all before, let alone that we, as school pupils, can already do our bit for science.”
Jonathan, a 13-year-old from Berlin, has already been out and about with the “Plastic Pirates” twice: once with his school and once with a youth group. Through the project, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, children and young people become researchers. Together with scientists, teachers and volunteers, they investigate plastic pollution in German rivers and along the coast. They record the data they collect and pass it on to environmental researchers.
The two partners supporting the Plastic Pirates initiatives in Germany are the Ecologic Institute in Berlin and the Kieler Forschungswerkstatt. In an interview with RESET, Doris Knoblauch, Director of the Resources Programme at the Ecologic Institute, tells us more about the project. Jonathan also tells us about his experience as a participant and how this has changed his everyday life.
From Chile to Germany and Europe
As of July 2026, the interactive world map “Plastic Pirates – Go Europe” shows 2,879 results. It illustrates where citizen scientists have collected data since the project began in 2016. There are data sets from 13 European countries, from Spain to Latvia, as well as from international locations such as Canada and Chile. Behind each entry lies a citizen science initiative carried out on a local river or along a coastline. The term ‘citizen science’ refers to the participation of members of the public in research projects led by scientists.
When the Plastic Pirates launched their project in Germany, they drew on experiences from Chile. The programme “Científicos de la Basura” (“Rubbish Scientists”), which the German marine biologist and professor Martin Thiel initiated in 2007 at the Universidad Católica del Norte in Coquimbo, served as a model.
Today, 1,511 data sets—more than half of all those available online—originate from Germany. “What began as a project has almost become a long-term study. It is incredibly valuable to collect so much data in such a short time, yet over an extended period,” says Doris Knoblauch. The social scientist has been working with the Plastic Pirates since 2017.
From Germany, the project expanded into other European countries from 2020 onwards. Gradually, the Plastic Pirates Europe network took shape. All participating partner countries agreed on a standardised methodology for data collection. This ensures that the data remains comparable. It’s possible to analyse it not only at a national level but also at a European level.
With the Plastic Pirates by the water
Sampling takes place twice a year in the participating countries, in spring and autumn. “The initiative is designed so that teachers can carry it out independently with their pupils. We provide materials that teachers can use to organise several school lessons,” explains Knoblauch.
The most important part, however, is that the children and young people go ‘out into the field’ and collect data on litter pollution themselves, following a scientific sampling protocol. During each campaign, the teams collect litter from rivers, coastlines and beaches, which they then analyse, document and finally dispose of properly.
“I really didn’t expect us to find so many cigarette ends and shards of glass. I was also surprised by the amount of packaging waste. From crisp packets to burger wrappers and lollipop wrappers, we found everything,” says Jonathan, recounting his experience as a Plastic Pirate on the River Spree in Berlin.
They even examine invisible rubbish: “We used a microplastic net,” recalls the pupil. “Everyone found that really exciting. First, we lowered it into the water from a bridge. When we pulled it out later, we couldn’t see anything inside.” It was only during the laboratory analysis that the microplastic particles became visible. The researchers later shared the lab results with Jonathan and his class.
“This initiative is completely different from theoretical lessons at school. The children carry it out knowing that they are collecting real data for real scientists—data that will actually be used. That’s something quite special,” says Knoblauch. The researchers then check the data sets again before using them for scientific analysis.
Data in action
Around one to two million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans every year worldwide. Around 80 percent of this comes from land-based sources. The entry points are rivers and coastal areas. The data from Plastic Pirates fills an important gap in our understanding of plastic pollution in rivers. The better we understand where the waste comes from, what it consists of, and how it makes its way into the sea, the more effectively we can prevent it from entering the oceans.
In some places where the Plastic Pirates are active, they directly initiate specific measures. “For example, some school classes have subsequently suggested that the government install more bins. They also suggested bins with lids, so that seagulls or other animals cannot pull rubbish out,” reports Knoblauch. “Discussions have taken place with beach kiosk operators. The school classes suggest offering more reusable options or providing more facilities for smokers.”
The Ecologic Institute uses the data it collects for active, wide-ranging science communication. The team takes part in conferences and negotiations on plastic. It engages with environmental ministries, federal agencies, companies, NGOs and other stakeholders. “We provide information and lay the groundwork on which policies to shape,” says Knoblauch.
Curbing the flood of plastic
In the researcher’s view, however, public discourse has tended to move away from this issue in recent years: “Marine litter used to be very high on the international agenda and widely discussed in society. Now other issues are taking centre stage,” she says.
Yet global plastic production has doubled over the last two decades. Combined with overburdened waste management systems, this means that plastic pollution is steadily increasing. According to an OECD study, of the approximately 350 million tonnes of plastic waste we generate each year, we don’t properly dispose of around 22 percent. That equates to just under 80 million tonnes of plastic. Much of this breaks down sooner or later into microplastics and thus remains permanently in the soil, rivers and oceans—and also inside us humans.
In the global fight against ocean plastic, improving waste management and reusable systems—particularly in low- and middle-income countries—is a key lever, alongside prevention at source. Although per capita plastic consumption is significantly lower in these countries than in higher-income nations, far more plastic ends up in the environment. In addition to a lack of infrastructure, waste exports from other countries also contribute to this. The EU, for example, exported 1.46 million tonnes of plastic waste in 2025 to countries such as Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Germany was the world’s largest exporter, accounting for just under 816,000 tonnes.
To protect the oceans, we also need further research to identify the main routes of the plastic tide. For a long time, we assumed that no more than 20 major rivers carried the bulk of plastic waste into the sea. Contrary to this assumption, a study by The Ocean Cleanup has since shown that around 1,000 small and medium-sized rivers are responsible for almost 80 percent of global plastic inputs.
Rivers in densely populated coastal regions with poor waste management infrastructure carry the most plastic waste into the sea. High levels of rainfall in the river’s catchment area also facilitate the waste’s journey. In Jakarta, Indonesia, and Manila, in the Philippines, for example, these factors coincide. Although both cities are situated on relatively small rivers, they send a disproportionately large amount of plastic into the sea.
Knowledge shapes the future
As well as tackling plastic pollution, the Plastic Pirates are primarily focused on one thing. They want to strengthen environmental and scientific literacy within young people. On average, participants are aged between 10 and 16, but younger age groups are also taking part.
Since 2016, over 24,000 children and young people in Germany have taken part as Plastic Pirates. “So many pupils have now taken part in the initiative,” says Knoblauch. “If we’ve managed to inspire even a fraction of them to take an interest in science, I’m confident about the future.”
What makes citizen science special is that it makes environmental problems more tangible. At the same time, participants realise that they can take action themselves—and that doing so as a group is actually fun. Even though the activities Jonathan took part in were some time ago, they still influence his everyday life.
“I’m even more careful to make sure no rubbish ends up in the environment, because ultimately everything gets washed out to sea. When friends sometimes throw things on the ground, I pick them up and put them in the bin. And I notice it much more now when people throw their cigarette butts on the ground.”
To mark the Pirates’ tenth anniversary, there will be two new campaign periods in autumn 2026 and spring 2027, inviting children and young people to take part in the research. To accompany this, the Ecologic Institute is organising moderated discussion sessions with interested school classes on the topic of microplastics. Anyone wishing to go on a research mission with school pupils or a youth group can register here.
