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Innovative societies Water-smart societies Climate-neutral societies 

Interreg makes
a difference!

Explore how people in the Baltic Sea region have been benefitting
from our projects.

#MadeWithInterreg solutions for

Cleaner waters

Cleaner waters thanks to viable monitoring system, new methods for removing micropollutants from wastewater and sharing knowledge

What are we doing?

Coordinated actions are the key to cleaning Baltic Sea waters efficiently. Interreg projects that bring people together across sectors and countries stand behind many of them. Not only do they introduce new systemic methods to clean wastewater, but also ensure the spread of knowledge of those methods in the region. Trust in project recommendations directly translates into new policies and investments. In a long run, cooperation in projects exceeds original partnerships and builds grounds for new initiatives and actions to respond to arising challenges.

Examples of #MadeWithInterreg solutions:
  • a platform collecting best practices in smart water operations
  • a risk assessment system to monitor concentrations of micropollutants
  • novel methods to clean wastewater from micropollutants, e.g. pharmaceuticals
  • new technologies to reduce phosphorus losses
  • enhanced water treatment to improve water quality in lakes

 

What we’ve achieved so far? 

The Baltic Sea is one of the most heavily eutrophicated seas in the world. Interreg projects helped improve wastewater treatment, which is one of the factors influencing eutrophication. At the beginning of the 2000s, more than 20 cities collected best practices in water management and shared them with other city administrations around the Baltic Sea region. In 2009-2013, projects showcased that it was possible to reduce discharges of nutrients from wastewater treatment facilities to the level set in the Baltic Sea Action Plan of HELCOM. The HELCOM Action Plan targets were stricter than the EU requirement.

In 2016-2021, projects in cities and villages focused on improving the treatment of wastewater from residents and industries. Partners in projects tested new technologies that increased nutrient removal and reduced energy consumption in cities such as Daugavpils, Gdańsk, Tartu, Jūrmala, Kaunas, and Grevesmühlen. Rural municipalities benefitted from solutions like septic tanks and soil infiltration in Kolgaküla, Gennarby, Ainaži, and Leitgiriai. In other projects, partners tested the pre-treatment of wastewater at poultry, meat, and dairy factories in Leszno, Doruchów, Põltsamaa, and Jelgava. Following this joint work, the partners synthesised more than a hundred examples of smart water operations. Using this knowledge, they helped develop the new Baltic Sea Regional Nutrient Recycling Strategy of HELCOM, and revise the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. These two strategic documents help achieve a healthy state of the Baltic Sea.

 

Ongoing projects

The ongoing projects explore new methods to clean wastewater more efficiently and better monitor concentrations of harmful substances and micropollutants in water environments. They address various stages of water management, starting from pollution prevention at its source, extending to robust monitoring and risk assessment practices, and culminating in the adoption of advanced wastewater treatment technologies. The projects aim to influence policy-making processes and implement practical measures for long-term improvements.

 

Supporting the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region 

Our projects play a vital role in achieving the ambitious goals of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) to save the Baltic Sea. In collaboration with the coordinators of the EUSBSR policy areas Nutri, Bioeconomy, Hazards, and Tourism, our projects make water and wastewater management more efficient and less resource-intensive in cities, rural areas, and tourist destinations. Together, our projects and the EUSBSR coordinators drive changes in water-related policies in our region, ensuring that the outcomes of our projects are integrated into legislation and continue to contribute to clearer, cleaner waters in the region.

 

Explore project solutions in more detail:

EMPEREST

Eliminating Micro-Pollutants from Effluents for REuse STrategies
The project EMPEREST tests advanced treatment technology that helps water utilities and companies better remove organic micropollutants such as PFAS or pharmaceuticals from wastewater.
Read more about the project

APRIORA

Improved risk assessment for strategic water management to reduce micro-pollutant emissions in the Baltic Sea Region
In the project APRIORA, environmental protection agencies and wastewater treatment plants get equipped with a GIS-based risk assessment system to monitor and model concentrations of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in order to improve water management and reduce emissions.
Read more about the project

BEACON

Application of biological effects methods in monitoring and assessment of contaminants in the Baltic Sea
In the project BEACON, public authorities and governmental organisations develop harmonised methods to assess contamination in the Baltic Sea waters, sediment and biota.
Read more about the project

AdvIQwater

Improving quality of BSR waters by advanced treatment processes
The project AdvIQwater tests photocatalysis, fungal treatment and biofilms methods to efficiently clean wastewaters from pharmaceuticals.
Read more about the project

NonHazCity 3

Reducing hazardous substances in construction to safeguard the aquatic environment, protect human health and achieve more sustainable buildings
The project NonHazCity 3 helps municipalities, entrepreneurs and individuals construct and renovate buildings with tox-free materials in order to protect health and the environment.
Read more about the project

TRUST ALUM

Building trust in target groups for ALUM treatment - an effective, yet misunderstood method for water quality improvement
The project TRUST ALUM helps public authorities in the Baltic countries make better use of ALUM water treatment and improve water quality in lakes.
Read more about the project

MUNIMAP

Baltic Sea Munitions Remediation Roadmap
The project MUNIMAP develops a legal and administrative framework for public authorities to initiate joint remediation of dumped munitions from the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak, which pose threats to the marine ecosystem and hinder the maritime economy.
Read more about the project

EmpInno

S3-Empowering for Innovation and Growth in Medium-Sized Cities and Regions
The Interreg project EmpInno helped twelve medium sized regions around the Baltic Sea to improve their regional innovation strategies for smart specialisation (RIS3) by providing strategy owners (e.g. public authorities) and strategy implementers (e.g. science parks, universities, business intermediaries) with peer knowledge and by boosting their cooperation with business.
Read more about the project

C4C

CULTURE4CLIMATE
C4C involves cultural and creative industries in the Baltic Sea region in co-design and in implementing long-lasting certification methods that allow the chosen sectors to not only measure their impact, but also reduce their footprint and create a large outreach. C4C aims to map the individual needs by cultural sector, create and implement Piloting Tools and prepare a solid funding-framework.
Read more about the project

BOWE2X

BOWE2X
The Baltic Sea has great potential to contribute to the EU’s renewable energy targets through offshore wind power production, however, this is hampered by intermittency and great distance to consumers. BOWE2X helps resolve these problems by researching options to apply power-to-X solutions to transform excess offshore wind electricity into energy carriers like hydrogen. These can subsequently be stored or moved to consumers before being used as fuel or converted back into electricity.
Read more about the project

Green PE

Power Electronics for Green Energy Efficiency
The Interreg project Green PE demonstrated that advanced power electronics are technically feasible, reliable and cost efficient in test applications of electric car engines, wind energy production, as well as smart buildings and compiled a roadmap to accelerate their market uptake.
Read more about the project

BATS

Baltic Sea region Active mobiliTy Solutions - in darkness and all weather conditions
The project BATS helps local authorities plan and set up suitable infrastructure for year-round walking and cycling, and build an active mobility culture among people, as a green and healthy transport option regardless of the season.
Read more about the project

KidsLikeUs

Empowering NGOs & public institutions in helping children overcome migration traumas using creativity and favors of nature
In the project KidsLikeUs, educators, public authorities and NGOs explore how contact with nature and appeal to all senses can improve mental well-being of children with traumatic experiences.
Read more about the project

GlassCircle

Exploring full cycle circular economy for glass fiber industry
The project GlassCircle helps glass fiber manufacturers reduce the environmental impacts of glass fiber waste by bringing it back into use.
Read more about the project

R-Mode Baltic 2

Ranging Mode Baltic Sea test bed evaluation
R-Mode Baltic 2 improved the earlier introduced alternative to satellite navigation systems and helped shippers navigate safer in the Baltic Sea.
Read more about the project

Change(K)now!

Innovative approaches to behavior change in consumption pattern for fostering reduction of hazardous substance to the Baltic Sea
The aim of Change(K)now! is to build momentum for tackling hazardous substances by understanding and transferring knowledge about what makes plastic marine litter campaigns and communications so successful so as to promote the behavioural changes needed for sustainable lifestyles and a healthy Baltic Sea.
Read more about the project

SOAR

Smart homes and intelligent agents for improved physical and mental well-being
Artificial intelligence technology holds great potential for improving the lives of many people. It can bring us closer to ambient intelligence use in daily environments through concepts of e.g. smart homes or personalised medicine. The SOAR project works on developing and evaluating a structure for smart homes to increase safety and well-being in home environment, with an emphasis on the elderly or handicapped people.
Read more about the project

DAIMON

Decision Aid for Marine Munitions
The Interreg project DAIMON equipped maritime, defence and environmental administrations in decision making tools that help deal with dumped chemical and conventional warfare in the Baltic Sea and the Skagerrak.
Read more about the project

SmartUp Accelerator

SmartUp Accelerator - Innovation Ecosystem to foster consumer cleantech markets in the Baltic Sea Region
The Interreg project SmartUp Accelerator improved conditions for business ideas in consumer cleantech sector and supported start-ups, intermediaries and investors across the Baltic Sea region.
Read more about the project

BFCC

Baltic Fracture Competence Centre
The project BFCC engaged four hospitals supported by business development organisations and universities in creating a joint registry to store and process data about bone fractures in four countries. Medical companies used this data for improving their products to offer better treatment possibilities for patients, thus preparing our ageing society for the numbers of bone fractures and linked health disorders to increase.
Read more about the project

InBets +

Innovative business transfers in the BSR +
InBets+ organised events and training courses, to train small and medium sized enterprises all across the Baltic Sea region in successful business transfers.

Read more about the project

MicroWasteBaltic

Impact of micropollutants emitted from municipal wastewater treatment plants on Baltic Sea ecosystems and assessment of cost-benefit of advanced treatment technologies in a regional perspective
A lot of chemicals used in everyday life, which are called micropollutants, enter the Baltic Sea in wastewaters and may exert a negative effect on the surrounding ecosystems. The project attempts to compile the available data of concentrations of micropollutants, assess the biological effects and ecological risk they pose as well as to explore new wastewater treatment technologies for efficient reduction of toxins and removal of micropollutants from water.
Read more about the project

BIS

Baltic Industrial Symbiosis
By strategically connecting companies from different industries, the project BIS promoted industrial symbiosis and helped boost eco-innovation.
Read more about the project

Reg4Future

Regions 4 Future: enabling policy mix tool and training to expand 5G&AI for regional single market development.
Reg4Future is a 5G and AI application-oriented consortium focusing on creating a regional policy-mix tool and mission-oriented networks for the successful integration of disruptive technologies in the regions. The Consortium plans to establish stakeholder alliances consisting of local government officials, universities, business associations. The key method in this will be exchanging the best practices and experiences concerning the best policy instrument to be shared to improve governance in all regions.
Read more about the project

CommitClimate

Towards energy transition and climate neutrality in the BSR municipalities
In the project CommitClimate, cities develop, test and deploy a computer-based simulation model to create sustainable energy and climate action plans to reduce carbon footprint.
Read more about the project

BASCIL

Innovative Solutions for the Rural Food Production Sector to Diversify into Sustainable Culinary Tourism Services
The project BASCIL helps local food producers in rural areas diversify their business into sustainable culinary tourism services, and thus reach new customers.
Read more about the project

TETRAS

Technology transfEr for Thriving Recirculating Aquaculture Systems in the Baltic Sea Region
In the project TETRAS, public authorities trigger fish and shrimp farming on land, which reuses water from industries related to energy production and geothermal resources.
Read more about the project

Land-Sea-Act

Land-sea interactions advancing Blue Growth in Baltic Sea coastal areas
With the help of Land-Sea-Act, national and regional authorities, coastal municipalities, NGOs and businesses learned to plan together the use of land and sea space at the coasts of the Baltic Sea for the benefit of local communities.
Read more about the project

Circular PP

Using innovation procurement and capacity building to promote Circular Economy
The Interreg project Circular PP promoted a circular procurement approach engaging public authorities, procurers, suppliers, policymakers and stimulated the development of new business models.
Read more about the project

REVITALISE HERITAGE

Architectural & Landscape Heritage as a Driver for Economic, Cultural and Community Development in Peripheral Regions
Architectural and landscape heritage is an expression of history, and it helps us to understand the relevance of the past to contemporary life and cultural identities. Despite their potential, many heritage places remain underused – in particular in peripheral regions. REVITALISE HERITAGE aims at empowering peripheral communities across the Baltic Sea region to transform underused heritage sites into interventions for economic, cultural and community development – and promote these approaches to potential adopters and decision-makers through media, film and gaming.
Read more about the project

BSR Access

Access to clean, efficient and multimodal transport corridors in the Baltic Sea Region
The platform BSR Access connected traditional infrastructure nodes and smart transport solutions to further develop the TEN-T Core Network Corridors, and contribute to sustainable growth in the region.
Read more about the project

Circular FoodShift

Circular FoodShift in the Baltic countries
The project Circular FoodShift helps authorities in rural and peri-urban municipalities transform food models with less food waste at schools and gastronomy and new businesses upcycling food and food waste.
Read more about the project

Baltic LINes

Coherent Linear Infrastructures in Baltic Maritime Spatial Plans
In the Interreg project Baltic LINes, maritime spatial planners in countries around the Baltic Sea found an efficient way to exchange their national plans for developing energy corridors and shipping routes, and in this way to improve the connectivity across the Baltic Sea.
Read more about the project

MSPDAT

Pathways and Needs Towards a Baltic Regional Spatial Data Infrastructure for Maritime Spatial Planning
Currently, Baltic Sea region countries lack an efficient tool to share information on maritime spatial planning and, in this way, to support each other in the fast and consistent elaboration of maritime spatial plans. The project paves the way for a standardised and commonly accessible spatial data by elaborating on needs and conditions for setting up such a database, and supporting the collection of best available maritime spatial planning data in the Baltic Sea region.
Read more about the project

GoSmart BSR

Strengthening smart specialisation by fostering transnational cooperation
The Interreg project GoSmart BSR helped small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in seven countries to get the needed support, and successfully transformed smart specialisation strategies into practical joint actions of SMEs across the Baltic Sea region.
Read more about the project

UrbFRail

Revitalisation of Inner-Urban Freight Rail Hubs
The project UrbFRail enables spatial and transport planners to create and revitalise freight rail hubs to improve last-mile transport in inner parts of the cities.
Read more about the project

Go LNG

LNG Value Chain for Clean Shipping, Green Ports and Blue Growth in Baltic Sea Region
The Interreg project GO LNG explored new business opportunities for liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a green fuel for shipping in the Baltic Sea region and other international markets by bringing together scientists and business.
Read more about the project

BSN

Baltic Science Network
The project Baltic Science Network strengthened the political ownership of a joint, macro-regional approach towards science policy by setting up a network of ministries and other public bodies responsible for higher education, science and research policies in seven countries around the Baltic Sea.
Read more about the project

ValueStreams

Cross border value streams from nature - valuable natural products from industrial side streams for natural cosmetic, food and beverage industry
There is already a number of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Baltic Sea region that have developed and are marketing natural products based on local raw materials. However, most of them lack resources to develop new products and to improve their business. The project ValueStreams aims is to provide expert and technological support to companies in order to enable them to progress ideas of their own, and to help them find collaborators with similar interests. The planned main project shall focus on side streams and raw materials regularly and richly available.
Read more about the project

BSR WATER

Platform on Integrated Water Cooperation
The Interreg platform BSR WATER filled up the Baltic Smart Water Hub with over a hundred best practices and solutions to clear and smartly manage fresh, sea, storm and waste waters.
Read more about the project

Solutions stay with the people: listen to our #InterregVoices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© UBC SCC/Mariia Andreeva

Thanks to Interreg (...), we created momentum for essential aspects of sustainable water management connected to climate change, for example improving the wastewater and storm water management, reducing water pollution, and increasing the application of circular economy principles. [IWAMA; BSR Water]

 

 

 

Agnieszka Ilola 

Head of Secretariat, Union of the Baltic Cities, Sustainable Cities Commission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Dmitry Frank-Kamenetsky

I can name a large number of examples of project outputs directly integrated into the regional policy framework. The first one is the recommendation on sludge handling. It was largely based on the PURE project. What’s more, the technologies tested in the project PURE to treat wastewater are in regular use now.

 

 

 

Dmitry Frank-Kamenetsky

 Special Advisor to HELCOM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© City of Turku

Thanks to Interreg projects, we have improved our public services for our citizens. Our water treatment facility has been involved in benchmarking water management processes and our water management processes have continuously been improving. Now, we have even better water quality and managed to keep the price of our water services at a moderate level.

Minna Arve

Mayor of Turku, Finland

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