ACR+ joins new project to tackle the issue of single-use plastics on Mediterranean islands

ACR+ joined partners from across the Mediterranean in Barcelona on 27-28 November for the inaugural Steering Committee meeting of the LooP Zone Project, marking the official launch of this EU-funded Interreg Euro-MED initiative. The two-day event brought together consortium members and associated organisations to establish governance structures and set the foundation for creating low plastic zones on Mediterranean islands. 

The project addresses a critical challenge facing island destinations: the surge in single-use plastic (SUP) waste generated by tourism, particularly in the hospitality sector. LooP Zone will pilot interventions on five Mediterranean islands in Spain, Italy, Greece, Malta, and Croatia, testing a geographically defined approach that coordinates action among public authorities, hotels, restaurants, cafes, tourists, and packaging providers. 

Among its responsibilities within the project, ACR+ will drive both vertical knowledge transfer to policy authorities and horizontal replication across similar island territories. This includes conducting multi-level policy analysis, establishing a Cross-border Business Support Development Programme for the HORECA sector, and developing the replication strategy that will enable other Mediterranean islands to adopt the LooP Zone model. 

The project's comprehensive approach includes in-depth island context research, development of a 3-pillar implementation model, creation of a one-stop-shop platform with tools and frameworks, innovation lab activities to expand SUP alternatives, and targeted communication campaigns. The resulting technical guidelines, incentive mechanisms, and certification schemes will provide ACR+ members with validated tools for reducing single-use plastics in tourism-intensive regions.