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United by the river, united for the river

United by the river, united for the river

01.10.2025

Since ancient times, the Bug River has served people. People settled on its banks because it provided fresh water and food (fish) they needed; its streams helped to transport people and goods, its power turned the wheels of water mills, and its waters irrigated the fields. Today, when this majestic river suffers from various types of pollution, it is time for people to serve it in return.

The CleanBug project has united Ukrainian and Polish communities living along the Bug to protect the river’s biodiversity, reduce pollution, develop green infrastructure, and promote ecological education. On 19 September, the Dobrotvir settlement council organised a large-scale campaign, “Bug River Day”, to clean the coastal zone of the Bug. The event was dedicated to the International Coastal Cleanup Day.

The Bug is the main river of our region; it unites the peoples of Ukraine and Poland. Moreover, it is the only river in Ukraine that flows into the Baltic Sea. We want local residents to understand the value of this river and to feel responsible for its preservation – says Maria Zhukovska, project coordinator.

Participants cleaned the banks of the Bug simultaneously in various locations: Dobrotvir, Kamianka-Buzka, Sokal, Sheptychi, and Zolochiv communities. Around 500 people joined this initiative, including school students and other volunteers.

I believe such campaigns are necessary because there are many people who rest here and leave their trash, – says Olha, a volunteer.

We are here because the environment needs care. Not everyone realises this, but we are showing how things should be done, – adds Serhii, a volunteer.

Polluted riverbanks mean polluted river water, since floods carry all the trash into the river. The worst part is how much plastic we found! – emphasises Ivanna, a volunteer.

On the Polish side of the border, similar actions will take place in communities located along the Bug. In particular, volunteers will collect waste from the riverbed while kayaking.

Recognising the value of the Bug for the Polish-Ukrainian borderland, and therefore for all of Europe, the Interreg PL-UA Programme has supported several projects in which this river was the central theme. In addition to CleanBug, there is also CleanBugRiver in the current programming period. During 2014-2020, projects such as KSICHER focused on improving sewage and water treatment systems, while BugUnitesUs promoted ecological recreation along the river and created conditions for kayaking tourism. The BugGuardians project supported environmental education among schoolchildren, and finally BugCuisine explored and popularised local cuisine.  

Our projects around the Bug River demonstrate its role as both a natural treasure and a bridge between Poland and Ukraine. We hope that these initiatives and collaborative efforts will serve as a first step towards more significant changes in the future. We encourage you to learn more about the projects on the previous PBU and current PL-UA websites!

You can follow the CleanBug Project on Facebook to stay updated on their activities.

Cleaning the banks of the river in Dobrotvir
Cleaning the banks of the river in Dobrotvir
Cleaning the banks of the river in Sheptytskyi
Cleaning the banks of the river in Sheptytskyi
Cleaning the banks of the river in Sokal
Cleaning the banks of the river in Sokal
Cleaning the banks of the river in Sokal
Cleaning the banks of the river in Dobrotvir
Cleaning the banks of the river in Dobrotvir
Cleaning the banks of the river in Sheptytskyi
Cleaning the banks of the river in Sheptytskyi
Cleaning the banks of the river in Sokal
Cleaning the banks of the river in Sokal
Cleaning the banks of the river in Sokal