Cigarette butts are the leading pollutants found on Greek beaches, according to the latest findings released on Thursday by WWF Greece.
The research, carried out as part of WWF’s “Adopt a Beach” program from 2021 to 2024, reveals that the majority of Greece’s beaches are overwhelmed with plastic and waste.
More specifically, a staggering 298,000 items of litter were found per 100 meters on a total of 192 surveyed beaches in Greece.
The report’s analysts note that none of the beaches “adopted” by volunteer groups as part of the program meet the minimum cleanliness criterion of 20 pieces of litter per 100 meters, as defined by the relevant European directive.
A closer look at the findings reveals that the overwhelming 83% of litter is plastic. The most common pollutants found include cigarette butts, plastic caps, pieces of Styrofoam, plastic bottles and bags.
During the program, 192 beaches were adopted by 173 volunteer groups, with a total of approximately 3,000 participants across Greece.
The participating Greek beaches with the highest levels of pollution were Erotospilia (Porto Rafti), the beach in front of the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Piraeus, Vagonia (Poros), Apollonies Voula, and Kalamaki.
Those with the lowest levels of litter were To Psilou to Rouma, Paliο Kavala, Stegna (Rhodes), Karavaostasi, and Rakopotamos (Larissa).
Five Items Accounted for 50% of Total Beach Waste
Five items accounted for 50% of the total waste collected between March 2021 and April 2024. These include cigarette butts, which were the most frequently found item on almost all “adopted” beaches, making up nearly 25% of the total collected waste; small plastic fragments (ranging from 2.5 to 50 cm), plastic caps, straws, and polystyrene pieces.
The situation remained largely unchanged last year. According to the report, the average litter density on Greek beaches was 464 items per 100 meters—approximately 20 times more than the maximum threshold set by the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive and three times more than the limit established by the Barcelona Convention (COP 22).
The level of plastic pollution in the Mediterranean is also alarming. Data from 338 beaches (2023–2024) show that 83% of the total waste consists of plastics, with glass, metal, and paper following in significantly smaller amounts.
“The data paints a truly disappointing but also particularly alarming picture for the beaches of Greece and the Mediterranean,” said Konstantinos Tsoukalas, plastics and waste officer at WWF and coordinator of the “Adopt a Beach” program.
Tsoukalas emphasized that volunteers participating in the program ensure the availability of updated and easily accessible scientific data.
“Governments can no longer hide behind the argument of a ‘lack of data’. They must use this information and take decisive action,” he stated.
“Adopt a Beach”, conducted with the support of the HCMR Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, is a citizen science program led by specially trained volunteers who monitor beach litter. Find out more here. In addition to Greece, the program has expanded to Turkey, Italy, and Tunisia.
