Data gaps shrink when local residents step in. River-keeper organisations in the UK proved the concept by piloting a low-cost citizen-science kit that counts microplastics per litre with 78 % accuracy compared with laboratory methods. A broader review across Europe shows that volunteer monitoring boosts spatial coverage ten-fold and sparks pro-environmental behaviour change.
Building on these successes, TULIP supplies communities with sterile bottles, smartphone apps and simple “biofilm traps” that capture both plastic fragments and bacteria for later DNA analysis. Workshops train volunteers to log GPS points, photo-document litter accumulations and interpret dashboard results alongside professional scientists. The pay-off is threefold: richer datasets, faster public buy-in for interventions, and a growing pool of local advocates who can pressure for policy follow-through.