The success of the charity web site, www.aquaplastics.org, in raising €150 000 for much needed water projects in Nigeria and Mali last year has prompted the European plastics industry to launch the project again in 2004.

(22/03/2004) The site aims to surpass the 1.5 million clicks generated last year to raise 150 000 euro for the vital work of international charity WaterAid.

As last year, Aquaplastics is being launched to coincide with World Water Day on the 22nd March. People across the world are invited to visit the site and help raise money by registering a click each day until the end of June. For every click, the European Plastics Industry (through APME, the Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe) will donate 10 cents to help WaterAid deliver clean water and sanitation to people in Madagascar and Malawi. Life expectancy in Malawi is just 40 years, and less than half the population of Madagascar have access to a supply of safe, clean water.

Plastics play a vital role in helping to deliver safe water and sanitation to a growing world population. This is why APME is continuing its partnership with WaterAid to raise awareness of the fact that over 1 billion people across the world still live without access to clean, safe drinking water.

“Plastics have completely revolutionised the concept of sustainability in water supply projects” says Steve Sugden, WaterAid’s country representative for Malawi. “When we lay plastics pipes to deliver water we really know that they will still be functioning in many years to come because of their resistance to corrosion.

Because of the pipes flexibility, communities are able to work with them without too much training. This community participation at all stages of our work is absolutely vital and, with plastics pipes as an effective sustainable delivery mechanism, our projects can help achieve greater longevity. We can really say we are making a life-long difference to poor people.”

Yvonne Barcelona, Communications Director at APME, says “Plastics’ cost-effectiveness, flexibility and durability mean that they are often the material of choice for water conservation and irrigation systems. We are really proud of what we achieved through Aquaplastics last year and naturally very excited to be supporting the project again in 2004. We really believe plastics can help WaterAid achieve its vision of a world where everyone has access to safe water and effective sanitation”.