Cleanup project

Albania

Albania is shaped by rivers, lakes and a long Adriatic coastline. Yet large amounts of plastic waste travel through its waterways towards the Mediterranean. This is where our cleanup projects come in.

Luftaufnahme eines Strandabschnitts in Albanien, der großflächig mit Plastikmüll und Treibholz bedeckt ist

Overview

Location

Kukës and Ishmi Delta, Albania

Type

River cleanup with a collection boat, manual shoreline cleanup and B2B collection

Certification

Preparing for certification under the Ocean Bound Plastic (OBP) Standard

Active since

Pilot project since summer 2024, permanent site since March 2025

Where do we collect waste?

River Cleanup at Lake Fierza

One of our long-term cleanup sites is in Kukës in northern Albania. Our team removes waste from Lake Fierza and the Drin River. Depending on the water level, we use our collection boat and also carry out regular shoreline cleanups. We then sort the collected waste at our Zero-Waste Center in Kukës and prepare it for further processing.

Lake Fierza is a reservoir in the mountains of northern Albania, fed by the Drin River. Its water level varies considerably throughout the year and directly affects our work on site. When it drops, large amounts of waste become visible along the shore, allowing our team to target these areas.

everwave-Müllsammelboot entfernt Plastikabfälle aus einem stark verschmutzten Gewässer in Albanien vor einer Berglandschaft.

Shoreline cleanups at the Ishmi Delta

We also carry out regular manual cleanups at the Ishmi Delta, where the Ishmi River flows directly into the Mediterranean. The shore is heavily polluted with plastic waste and can only be cleaned by hand because access is difficult. This work keeps additional waste from reaching the sea.

Menschen sammeln Müll und Plastikabfälle an einem stark verschmutzten Küstenabschnitt in Albanien und füllen große Müllsäcke.

B2B waste collection around Tirana

Since 2026, we have also collected waste directly from local businesses around Tirana, including restaurants, hotels and other companies. Our current focus is PET, which we sort and bale at our Zero-Waste Center before sending it for recycling. We are steadily expanding the network to connect as many businesses as possible to our collection system and keep more recyclable materials in circulation.

Local infrastructure

From pilot project to permanent site

Before establishing our long-term site in Kukës, we launched a pilot project in Albania with STADLER Anlagenbau. Together, we developed the mobile SortX sorting container, allowing us to separate recyclable and non-recyclable materials directly at the collection site.

This enabled us to sort the collected waste on site instead of storing it or transporting it over long distances. Its compact design also allowed us to use SortX flexibly in remote regions.

Zero-Waste Center in Kukës

Since March 2025, we have operated a permanent cleanup site with a collection boat and Zero-Waste Center in Kukës. The facility replaces the former sorting container and enables us to process collected waste far more efficiently.

At the Zero-Waste Center, we sort and bale the waste before preparing it for transport. We created the building’s artwork with mural artist Martin Hirner. Today, it is a visible symbol of responsible waste management and waterway protection.

Infrastructure at the Ishmi Delta

For our regular cleanups at the Ishmi Delta, we have also built permanent local structures. Together with our partner RecycAl, we use another nearby Zero-Waste Center where collected waste is sorted and prepared for further processing.

A waste compactor lets us compress materials on site so they can be transported more efficiently. Our work does not end with collection: we also ensure that collected materials are sorted and directed to the best available processing routes.

What the waste is made of

Around two thirds of the waste we collect in Albania consists of recyclable materials, with PET making up the largest share. After sorting at our Zero-Waste Center, we bale it with our compactor and transport it to recycling companies in Tirana for further processing. This allows us to keep a large share of the collected materials in circulation.

The region currently has no suitable processing option for the remaining third. This non-recyclable waste therefore has to be disposed of at a secure local landfill.

This is not the solution we would choose, but it is currently the most responsible option available locally.

Transparency matters here, too. Our responsibility does not end with collection. The available recovery options also depend on the local waste management and recycling infrastructure. Where better processing routes are missing, we say so openly. At the same time, we are working to find new solutions and partners so that we can put an even larger share of collected waste to good use in the future.

Rethinking plastic as a resource

Together with Swedish company Reparell Innovation AB, we are testing how plastic waste collected through our cleanup projects in Albania can be processed into high-quality raw materials for the textile industry. The aim is to develop a process that can scale over time and create new recycling options for larger quantities of collected plastic waste.

Lokales Team vor einer von everwave unterstützten Müllsammelstation in Albanien. Die Sammelstelle trägt zur getrennten Erfassung von Abfällen und zur Verhinderung von Plastikverschmutzung in der Umwelt bei.

Frequently asked questions

1

Why is everwave active in Albania?

Albania has numerous rivers and lakes that play an important role in drinking water supply, energy generation and the environment. At the same time, Germany exports a large share of its waste to Eastern Europe, where many regions lack comprehensive waste infrastructure. As a result, large amounts of plastic waste enter waterways and eventually reach the Mediterranean. Our project helps stop plastic waste from entering the Mediterranean.

2

How is waste collected in Albania?

Our collection boat removes waste directly from Lake Fierza and the Drin River. We then sort, bale and prepare it for further processing at our Zero-Waste Center in Kukës.

3

How does everwave ensure that waste does not return to the environment?

Our projects do not end with collection. By sorting waste at our Zero-Waste Centers, working with local recycling companies and documenting each step clearly, we ensure that collected materials are processed as responsibly as possible.

4

How can our company support the project in Albania?

Your company can support the project through Plastic Credits or an individual partnership. This helps fund infrastructure development, plastic waste collection and long-term waterway protection in Albania. Get in touch if you would like to support us: [email protected]