Programme: Interreg EURO-Med
Website: https://loopzone.interreg-euro-med.eu
YouTube: @LooPZoneProject
LooP Zone addresses one of the Mediterranean’s most visible environmental challenges: plastic pollution on tourist islands. Each year, over 200 million visitors contribute to a surge in single-use plastics (SUPs), which make up over 60% of marine litter. Islands such as Formentera, Salina, Skiathos, Vis, and Gozo face increasing pressure, as most local waste systems simply can’t keep pace.
Our vision: transform Mediterranean tourism from a take-make-waste system into a circular economy that protects both people and the sea.
Our Focus
LooP Zone creates Low Plastic Zones areas where municipalities, tourism businesses, and local innovators work together to prevent and phase out single-use plastics.
- Tourism operators (hotels, beach bars, restaurants) receive tools to measure their plastic footprint and switch to sustainable, reusable alternatives.
- Innovation-driven business models offer alternatives to Single-Use Plastics items.
- Local policies are strengthened to align with national and EU plastic reduction targets.
Built on a three-pillar model –policy, business support, and innovation- LooP Zone is tested locally, shared via a digital platform, and scaled through a regional island network.
Five Pilot Areas
Project Partners
The LooP Zone partnership is structured to ensure local action is informed with EU-level best practice, delivery on each island is led by local sector experts, and that the project is sustained and replicated. The consortium brings together 12 partners across six countries: 1) MedWaves, the UNEP/MAP Regional Activity Centre for SCP (Hosted by the Waste Agency of Catalonia), ES –Lead Partner-; 2) Association of Cities and Regions for Sustainable Resource Management, BE; 3) Rezero Foundation, ES; 4) Formentera Island Council, ES; 5) Messina Foundation, IT; 6) Municipality of Malfa, IT; 7) Association for Nature, Environment and Sustainable Development SUNCE, HR; 8) Vis Archipelago Geopark, HR; 9) Aenaos Thalassa, EL; 10) Dimos Skiathou, EL; 11) Malta Regional Development and Dialogue Foundation, MT; and 12) Zebbug Local Council, MT.
