The EMPEREST project supports local authorities, wastewater treatment operators, and the policy-making community in ensuring a safer water management cycle. The project focuses on the elimination of PFAS and other organic micropollutants from wastewater. The PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) group, also known as “forever chemicals”, are currently one of the most pressing environmental challenges in the Baltic Sea region as identified in the latest holistic assessment of the Baltic Sea (HOLAS 3). Local level stakeholders lack knowledge and technological resources to tackle the problem, and the regional level needs a uniform approach to PFAS monitoring.

The EMPEREST project develops a comprehensive and versatile set of tools and recommendations to ensure a holistic approach to PFAS elimination. Among the solutions prepared in the project are regional strategies for monitoring and assessment, technological advances in wastewater treatment, risk management assessment for cities, and training materials for water experts.

1. On the regional level, the EMPEREST partner HELCOM prepares methodological recommendations to monitor PFAS group in the aquatic environment, ensuring its relevance for the countries in BSR in a continuous science-policy dialogue.
2. On the local level, EMPEREST equips municipalities with a framework for mapping PFAS risks in the urban environment, which will allow them to assess the potential PFAS hotspots and pollution sites in a dialogue with the local water ecosystems and propose relevant risk mitigation strategies.
3. EMPEREST also works with the experts at the wastewater treatment plants, supporting them in making informed decisions about cost-effective technologies for micropollutant removal to unlock future large-scale investments. The project tests advanced treatment technologies with mobile pilot containers to demonstrate the efficient technologies to other water utilities in the region who are planning large-scale investments imposed by upcoming regulation changes.
4. In support to these activities, EMPEREST builds the capacities of local authorities and public service providers with an interactive training package to inform them about the recent developments in the field and train them with tailored materials and tools.

All these activities are executed in a truly transnational spirit, made possible by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme, to ensure the reliability and transferability of the project solutions. Every element is not only developed together with the 14 partners of the project, but is also engaging dozens of other stakeholders in the region. Would you like to learn more or test our solutions locally? Contact the Lead partner (contact below on this page) to get connected with experts who develop these innovative ideas and tools!