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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

Baltic Sea2Land

Fostering integrated governance for the joint sustainable use of human and natural capital in the near shore zone
The project Baltic Sea2Land equips public authorities with the navigator tool that helps harmonise land and marine planning and balance initiatives that impact coastal development.
Read more about the project

REDIRECT

Regenerative Tourism in Baltic Sea Region for Resilient Communities towards a Circular Economy
The project REDIRECT assists the public and private sectors in adopting regenerative tourism practices that minimise negative impacts from tourism, while enhancing the condition of nature and cultural heritage sites.
Read more about the project

Baltic Sea e-Nav

Shared waters – Same standards. Baltic Sea Partnership for Future Navigation
The project Baltic Sea e-Nav creates the next generation of navigational products and services compliant with new international standards, enabling national authorities and other maritime organisations to ensure safer, more harmonised and eco-efficient navigation at the Baltic Sea.
Read more about the project

VETMED

Veterinary medication and its impact on antimicrobial resistance in the environment
Antimicrobial resistance is a global challenge. Both the World Health Organisation and the European Union state that increasing knowledge is key to facing this challenge. Antibiotics in animal husbandry are a known source of antimicrobial resistance, but the fate of active pharmaceutical ingredients, and the generation and spread of antimicrobial resistance from wider veterinary sources is unclear. VETMED aims to quantify the environmental occurrence of veterinary active pharmaceutical ingredients, improving the understanding of the significance of these medications as a source of active pharmaceutical ingredients and antimicrobial resistance.
Read more about the project

SmartAging

Nordic Vitality Environments/​ Smart ageing with Nordic wellness indoors​
This project SmartAging empowers care providers and public authorities to enhance the well-being and daily lives of seniors by integrating smart home solutions and tailored training.
Read more about the project

For Better Health

Practical implementation of Health in All Policies in the municipalities for better health for all in the Baltic Sea Region
Today, life-style related diseases account for 80% of premature deaths in the Baltic Sea region. In order to overcome resource limitations at municipalities, the project strives to improve the capacities of public health managers and other responsible public bodies, together with the inhabitants, to better run and coordinate activities in preventive medicine and promotion of healthy lifestyle.
Read more about the project

EMMA

Enhancing freight Mobility and logistics in the BSR by strengthening inland waterway and river sea transport and proMoting new internAtional shipping services
In the Interreg project EMMA, waterway administrations, business support organisations and ports together with shipping companies, logistics businesses, and research organisations jointly raised inland waterway transportation higher on the political agendas in five countries around the Baltic Sea.
Read more about the project

WAMBAF

Water Management in Baltic Forests
The project WAMBAF provided tools for authorities and planners, forest enterprises, hunters and forest owners to better manage drainage systems, riparian forests and beaver activity in forests, and in doing so to keep clean waters flowing from forests to the Baltic Sea.
Read more about the project

ConnectedByBiobord

Biobord open innovation platform connecting bioeconomy developers in BSR
The project upgraded and extended the earlier developed digital innovation platform for bioeconomy developers Biobord.
Read more about the project

DEAHL BALTIC

Digital Empowerment for Active Healthy Living in the Baltic Region
The project DEAHL BALTIC equips healthcare professionals and organisations with digital health literacy skills to ensure equal access to e-health services and improve healthcare delivery for people.
Read more about the project

WaterMan

Promoting water reuse in the Baltic Sea Region through capacity building at local level
In the project WaterMan, public authorities and water companies model strategies to reuse water and recirculate retained water, e.g. for industry and agriculture.
Read more about the project

CWPharma

Clear waters from pharmaceuticals
Seven countries across the region joined CWPharma to reduce pharmaceutical emissions released to waters of the Baltic Sea and improve water quality and biodiversity in the marine space.
Read more about the project

BlueBioTECH

Technology development and transfer for a thriving Blue Bioeconomy in the Baltic Sea Region
In order to develop robust complete bio-based value chains and promote sustainable Baltic bioeconomy, we need to adapt the proven technological solutions to the needs of Baltic Sea region conditions. To achieve that, the project BlueBioTECH 1) fosters cross-cutting technological innovation 2) models technology champions relevant to the Baltic blue bioeconomy and 3) provides technology transfer facilities to industry end-users and farmers.
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

CreaDigi&Tourism

Creativity, Digital Innovation and Cultural Tourism: Synergies, Network and Capacity Building
CreaDigi&Tourism aims to facilitate the development of cultural tourism in the Baltic Sea region and its neighbourhood by increasing interaction of tourism operators and cultural and creative industry actors. With the main emphasis placed on peripheral areas of the region, the project will use gamification, mobile applications and virtual and augmented reality in order to boost individualised and interactive cultural tourism services.
Read more about the project

GreenSAM

Green Silver Age Mobility
The project GreenSAM helped to involve the senior citizens more actively in developing green transportation solutions.
Read more about the project

BalMarGrav

Homogenized marine gravity maps of southern and eastern Baltic Sea for modern 3D applications in marine geodesy, geology and navigation
The project BalMarGrav harmonises data on the Earth’s gravity across the region to feed it into a new height reference system for safer navigation, offshore infrastructure and sea traffic management.
Read more about the project

Circular spaces

Circular Economy makerspace
The project Circular spaces brings together operators and users of maker spaces in eco-design and material reuse to jointly contribute to sustainable product development.
Read more about the project

BalticBiomass4Value

Unlocking the Potential of Bio-based Value Chains in the Baltic Sea Region
The project introduced new knowledge to sustainably use biomass as a reliable source of energy.
Read more about the project

Energize Co2mmunity

Real-life implementation of renewable community energy projects
The project Energize Co2mmunity piloted six renewable community energy (CE) projects across the Baltic Sea region.

Read more about the project

ECOPRODIGI

ECOPRODIGI
The project ECOPRODIGI made the processes in the maritime industry more eco-efficient and sustainable by introducing cutting-edge digital solutions.
Read more about the project

Climate-4-CAST

A Climate Action decision Support Tool to accelerate cities’ progress towards climate neutrality
Climate-4-CAST provides local public authorities with an open-source Decision Support Tool to plan climate-smart public budgets, model action scenarios with climate neutrality measures, and track progress toward climate goals.
Read more about the project

SchoolChanger

Empowering young generations to help municipalities and public institutions in the Baltic Sea Region develop smart, nature-based, sense-friendly, and socially responsible solutions reinforcing their well-being
The project SchoolChanger involves students in co-creating school spaces with teachers, school management, and experts to better address their psychological and social needs and prepare them for community-minded roles in the future.
Read more about the project

Blue Supply Chains

Blue Supply Chains for the Baltic Sea Region
The Blue Supply Chains project supports port authorities and port operators to decarbonise port operations by advancing electrification, providing alternative fuels strategies and setting up green transport chains.
Read more about the project

RESPONSE

RESPONSE - Demand-Responsive Transport to ensure accessibility, availability and reliability of rural public transport
RESPONSE helped public transport authorities to develop demand-responsive transport solutions for rural areas.
Read more about the project

Sohjoa Last Mile

Sohjoa Last Mile - Baltic Sea Region transitioning into eco-friendly autonomous last mile public transportation
Sohjoa Last Mile helped cities in the Baltic Sea region introduce automated public transportation vehicles.
Read more about the project

WaterMan Seed

Climate resilient wastewater and groundwater management by circular approaches that reduce outflows of nutrients and hazardous substances
WaterMan develops and promotes circular approaches to reducing outflows of nutrients and hazardous substances to surface water, groundwater and the Baltic Sea. Its centre of attention is measures and techniques to re-use water from wastewater treatment plants and the retention of water before flowing to the sea. The project focuses on measures at the local level and on areas in the Baltic Sea region, where the water supply may be affected by climate change. It explicitly addresses this by developing circular approaches for municipalities & water companies.
Read more about the project

MI-RAP

Music Industry Resilience Acceleration Programme
The project MI-RAP helps local authorities, sectoral agencies and business support organisations attract fresh talents to the music industry, while ensuring more cross-sectoral cooperation and integration of emerging technologies and green practices at the same time.
Read more about the project

BSR S3 Ecosystem

Baltic Sea Region Smart Specialisation Ecosystem
Multiple smart specialisation strategies synthesised from Interreg projects enabled public administrations and development agencies to strengthen innovation ecosystems and develop pathways for green transition.

Read more about the project

UrbCulturalPlanning

UrbCulturalPlanning
The project UrbCulturalPlanning addressed social and urban development by involving citizens in the cultural planning.
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

BalticRIM

Baltic Sea Region Integrated Maritime Cultural Heritage Management
The Interreg project BalticRIM contributed to integration of coastal and underwater cultural heritage such as ship wrecks and archaeological sites into maritime spatial planning by bringing heritage managers together with spatial planners and designating maritime cultural heritage.
Read more about the project

BSR-DocTrainHealth

Baltic Sea Region Network in Doctoral Training in Nursing/Health Sciences
Personalised health care relies on a patient’s autonomy, trustworthy staff-patient relationship and a shared responsibility. Although it is an essential element of high quality healthcare, it requires streamlined training for health professionals. The project actively supports doctoral student exchange and establishes a closer cooperation and a mentoring programme among universities in the Baltic Sea region to leverage doctoral training and to build on the multidisciplinary research training.
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

#MadeWithInterreg solutions by topic

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