The goal of the Plastic Pirates in Belgium is to set up and manage a long-term local project partnership between experts (VLIZ) and local schools, for riverine and coastal litter observations. It includes leading teachers’ training, and sampling campaigns with local schools, synchronized with other Belgian and European partners, to manage data validation and submission (open access), and to coordinate local data analysis and communication
tasks. The project collects data to inform policymakers and the public about plastic pollution and provide educational materials to help teachers integrate it into their curricula.