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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

FanpLESStic-sea

FanpLESStic-sea – Initiatiatives to remove microplastics before they enter the sea
The project FanpLESStic-sea developed new tools to stop microplastics from entering the sea.
Read more about the project

LARS

Learning Among Regions on Smart Specialisation
The project LARS reinforced transnational learning in the implementation of the smart specialisation strategies and contributed to better connectivity of the regional innovation systems across the Baltic Sea region.
Read more about the project

DAIMON 2

Decision Aid for Marine Munitions - Practical Application
The project DAIMON2 optimised the tools that allow maritime and environmental authorities to more accurately and less costly make decisions on the management of the dumped munitions.
Read more about the project

Distance LAB

Distance LAB – remote service hub for SME’s and public sector
The project Distance LAB equips public and private organisations with intercultural skills and business support to help them work remotely in an efficient way.
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

UrbCulturalPlanning

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

Baltic Slurry Acidi.

Reducing nitrogen loss from livestock production by promoting the use of slurry acidification techniques in the Baltic Sea Region
In the Interreg project Baltic Slurry Acidification, farmers around the Baltic Sea tested the technology of treating animal manure with acid to reduce ammonia emissions harmful to people and the environment, and to gain valuable fertilisers for their crops instead.
Read more about the project

CEforestry

Innovation in forestry biomass residue processing: towards circular forestry with added value products
The project CEforestry establishes cooperation among researchers, SMEs and large companies to support industrial symbiosis using forestry biomass residues in a more efficient way.
Read more about the project

NURSECOAST-II

Model Nutrients Reduction Solutions In Near-Coast Touristic Areas
The NURSECOAST-II project guides public authorities, water companies and tourist businesses on how to reduce seasonal increase in wastewater production and nutrient discharges in touristic areas.
Read more about the project

ProVaHealth

Product Validation in Health
The Interreg project ProVaHealth engaged 14 health laboratories, improved their access to start-ups as well as small and medium-sized enterprises, and scaled up the challenging health innovation in the Baltic Sea region.
Read more about the project

cities.multimodal

Cities.multimodal – urban transport system in transition towards low carbon mobility
The Interreg project cities.multimodal presented environmentally friendly alternatives to driving, enhanced sustainable urban mobility planning for multimodal transport in ten cities and introduced six mobility points and smartphone-based travel planning.
Read more about the project

Change(K)now!

Change(K)now! – A mindset change from single-use to circular or multiple-use of food delivery systems in cities of the BSR
The Change(K)now! project helps municipalities reduce single-use food packaging in food delivery and catering systems, and build social acceptance among companies and people for circular reuse of food packaging.
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

GYPREG

Tackling agricultural phosphorus load by soil amendments
The project GYPREG brings together national and public authorities, NGOs, farmers and farmers´ associations to increase the uptake of gypsum treatment of agricultural fields that allows to reduce phosphorus losses from agriculture.
Read more about the project

AREA 21 + action

Baltic Smart City Actions for the 21st century
AREA21 + action practically demonstrated how CO2 emissions on a city level can be reduced through addressing the energy efficiency of the building stock.
Read more about the project

RESTinBSR

Unlocking transformative ecotourism potential for sustainable regional development
RESTinBSR is aimed at unlocking the potential of an innovative form of ecotourism - transformative ecotourism - by involving into the ecotourism development new groups of actors, including rural entrepreneurs, local communities, NGOs and social movements dealing with ecology. The project seeks to use transnational learning and collaboration for developing a set of innovative tools for the promotion of transformative ecotourism businesses in the Baltic Sea region's peripheral areas.
Read more about the project

CITYAM

CITYAM - Preparing cities for sustainable Urban Air Mobility
The project CITYAM equips cities with tools to improve airspace management in dealing with emerging urban air mobility and scaling drone operations.
Read more about the project

Act Now

Act Now: Action for Energy Efficiency in Baltic Cities
The Interreg project Act Now tackled energy efficiency in the existing building stock in cities across the Baltic Sea region and applied self-assessment and customisation of capacities in energy management to ensure increase in energy efficiency.
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

Blue Supply Chains

Blue Supply Chains for a better integration of Motorways of the Sea and Inland Waterways
Blue Supply Chains is about achieving climate neutrality in the shipping sector. Utilising the potential of inland waterway, short sea shipping and railway transport plays a crucial role in decarbonising freight transport in the Baltic Sea region. This requires intensified actions by ports and transport operators. The projects aims at reducing CO2 emissions from freight transport in two ways: 1. Supporting a modal shift from road to more environmentally friendly modes such as rail or waterway and 2. Improving the CO2 balance of rail and especially waterborne transport through the implementation of new technologies.
Read more about the project

SUMANU

Sustainable manure and nutrient management for reduction of nutrient loss in the Baltic Sea Region
The Interreg platform SuMaNu synthesised best practices and recommendations on nutrient management from four projects in order to guide authorities, policy makers, advisors and farmers on how to reduce the negative impact of farming on the Baltic Sea.
Read more about the project

Restart BSR

Restart SMEs in the Baltic Sea Region
Restart BSR helped to build the institutional potential to support companies in a difficult financial situation, as well as owners of formerly closed companies, willing to start new businesses.
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

Capacity4MSP

Strengthening the capacity of MSP stakeholders and decision makers
Knowledge collected by Interreg, Horizon and other EU-funded projects helped maritime spatial planners review the implementation of national maritime spatial plans and set baselines for a coherent MSP across the Baltic Sea.
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

CAROTS

Commercial Analytical Research Organisations Transnational Strategy
Thanks to a new type of intermediaries between industry and science, the project CAROTS helped enterprises benefit from advanced research and scientific expertise.
Read more about the project

BSR Urban Mobility

Enhancing active and efficient urban mobility in the Baltic Sea region
The BSR Urban Mobility project platform connects cities, regional authorities, and policymakers in a peer learning network to support the implementation of sustainable urban mobility plans and deliver on EU goals for multimodal, zero-emission transport. BSR Urban Mobility consolidates outcomes from 17 EU projects.
Read more about the project

Sohjoa Baltic

Sohjoa - Baltic Sea Region transitioning into eco-friendly autonomous last mile public transportation
The Interreg project Sohjoa Baltic increased knowledge on autonomous public transport in eight countries, brought piloting experience of self-driving electric minibuses to six countries, and contributed to promotion of environmentally friendly transport solutions in the Baltic Sea region.
Read more about the project

PV 4 All

Photovoltaics for All
The project PV4All develops models and advisory services for companies, organisations and individuals to overcome challenges and barriers in the uptake of small-scale photovoltaic systems across the Baltic Sea region.
Read more about the project

DINNOCAP

Digital Innovation Capacity Building
The project helped SMEs, industry organisations and public authorities strengthen digital innovation capacity building.

Read more about the project

ClimaResponse

ClimaResponse - Responsive Local Action for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction
The project ClimaResponse helps local authorities reduce climate and disaster risks, improve their response to extreme weather events, and build long-term regional climate resilience through targeted strategies, training and cooperation.
Read more about the project

TEST-4-SME

TEST-4-SME
The Interreg project TEST-4-SME helped electronics small and medium-sized enterprises to better, faster and easier demonstrate the conformity of electronic products with international standards and speed up the product development.
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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