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Hungary’s Lake Tisza is actually a massive reservoir. It’s over 16 miles long and contains over 16 square miles of small islands. It’s no surprise that in the decades since its creation, it has become one of the most popular vacation destinations in the country. But vacationers bring trash and by 2013, they had left so much of it behind that Lake Tisza was overflowing with plastic.

To address the problem, Hungary established the “Plastic Cup” or “PET Cup” in 2013. Competing teams are affectionately called the “PET pirates.” But their treasure isn’t gold or jewels. Fleets of these pirates take to the waters of Lake Tisza in search of plastic.

Some of these pirates go out for a day aboard a kayak to gather a bag of trash. But other teams take the competition much more seriously. There are gangs of PET pirates aboard massive motorized barges, or even vehicles customized for th tournament.

During the one-day tournament, the top teams collect mountains of trash. They haul it back to shore and total it up. All for the PET Cup. And also to clean up one of Hungary’s most magnificent waterways.

Curious just how much trash got scooped? See the most recent PET Pirate Cup in the video below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.