Clean Shores, Great Lakes has 5 key aims: 

• Reduce litter, especially plastic litter, along the Tanzanian shorelines of the African Great Lakes (Victoria, Tanganyika and Nyasa) through a coordinated campaign of annual clean-ups.
• Train and mobilise local communities as environmental ambassadors through active involvement in the clean-ups. 
• Record clean-up data through citizen science to pinpoint hotspots and sources.
• Provide data-led advice to regional and national policymakers on mitigation strategies.
• Promote circular economy and sustainable solutions.

The project is funded by Handelens Miljøfond (Norwegian Retailers Environment Fund) and led by Norwegian Research Centre (NORCE) and University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), partnering together with EMEDO (Environmental Management and Economic Development Organization) and ARENA Recycling Industry. 

The African Great Lakes and plastic pollution

The African Great Lakes of Victoria, Tanganyika and Nyasa are major freshwater habitats with high levels of biodiversity and many unique species. Each lake has a shoreline in Tanzania with approximately 40% of the population living on the inland coast and relying on it for water, food and their livelihood through fishing, tourism and trade.

Plastic pollution is a global environmental crisis affecting all areas of the world, all habitats and the animals that live in them, as well as human health. The breakdown of larger plastic litter into smaller microplastics makes it easier for plastics to move through the environment, but harder to measure and remove.

Our project team is at the forefront of plastics and microplastics research in the African Great Lakes region being  the first to document the presence of microplastics in fish from Lake Victoria and our clean-up study from the beaches of Lake Nyasa showed that more than 80% of all shoreline litter found was plastic.

This new project 'Clean Shores, Great Lakes' targets removing plastic pollution before it becomes microplastics and is a greater environmental threat.

Partners, roles and contacts

NORCE (Norwegian Research Centre) is an independent research institute that facilitates informed and sustainable choices for the future. Project leader for Clean Shores, Great Lakes is Dr. Farhan R. Khan who has extensive experience in investigating the environmental presence and effects of plastics and microplastics as a global pollutant.

UDSM (University of Dar es Salaam) is the oldest and biggest public university in Tanzania and the Tanzanian lead partner of the project. The Tanzanian Coordinator for the project is Assistant Lecturer Bahati Mayoma who has researched the impacts the of plastic pollution in the African Great Lakes and in East African coastal waters.

EMEDO (Environmental Management and Economic Development Organization) is a not-for-profit organisation that enhances community involvement to influence local, national and international policies. EMEDO is an experienced organizer of clean-ups participating within many international programs. The main contact person is Founder and Executive Director Editrudith Lukanga.

ARENA Recycling Industry is a leading social venture in plastics recycling in Tanzania that is dedicated to addressing the global challenge of plastic waste pollution by providing innovative and sustainable solutions, such as eco-bricks. ARENA has organised and led many clean-ups. The main contact person is Hellena Sailas, the CEO and Co-founder.