# PET Cup river cleanup in Hungary

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/pet-cup-river-cleanup-in-hungary
> Updated: 2026-08-28T18:05:53.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 3.

The PET Cup river cleanup initiatives in Hungary have progressed from university-led competitions to large-scale waste recovery operations. The inaugural University PET Cup involved nine student teams using PET boats to collect 2,937 kg of plastic waste from a 37-kilometre stretch of the Bodrog River to prevent pollution from reaching the Tisza.

Subsequent efforts, combining the VII. Bodrog and XIV. Tisza PET Cups, achieved a record collection of 18.9 tons of waste between August 15 and 23. This total included 9.9 tons from the Bodrog section (spanning Olaszliszka, Szegi, Bodrogkeresztúr, and Tokaj) and 9 tons from the Tisza river sections. This achievement surpassed the previous 2024 record of 17.5 tons, despite having fewer participating teams this year. The competition involved 12 teams, 11 of which were returning participants.

Organizers noted that while the collection amount was record-breaking, significant waste accumulation remains in floodplain forests, with some items having been present for decades. The latest operations also introduced new equipment, including the PETiX waste collection boat and a four-person canoe constructed from recycled plastic collected during previous competitions.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-28: Bodrog and Tisza rivers cleanup sets new waste collection record

The VII. Bodrog-XIV. Tisza PET Cup set a new record by collecting 18.9 tons of waste from the Bodrog and Tisza rivers in Hungary.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bodrog-and-tisza-rivers-cleanup-sets-new-waste-collection-record

### 2026-08-26: PET Cup river cleanup sets new record with 18.9 tons of waste collected

The PET Cup river cleanup set a new record by collecting 18.9 tons of waste from the Bodrog and Tisza rivers in Hungary, though organizers warn that significant pollution remains in the floodplains.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pet-cup-river-cleanup-sets-new-record-with-189-tons-of-waste-collected

### 2026-07-28: University PET Cup cleans Bodrog River in Hungary

Hungarian university teams held the inaugural PET Cup on the Bodrog River, collecting 2,937 kg of waste; NYEP won, with BME teams second and third.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/university-pet-cup-cleans-bodrog-river-collects-nearly-3-t-of-waste

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Cite as: PET Cup river cleanup in Hungary. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/pet-cup-river-cleanup-in-hungary