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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

DNA

Digihealth Nordic Acceleration
Europe’s health and medtech industries are investing in its modernization, including new digital technologies. Digital health and care refers to tools and services that use information and communication technologies to improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and management of health and lifestyle and have the potential to innovate and improve the health sector. Digital health involves several stakeholders from doctors and hospitals to insurance organizations, governmental structures as well as research and development institutions, science parks, clusters, SMEs and startups. These stakeholders require support and exchange of best practices. The DNA project will prepare to strengthen EU SMEs by supporting their full value chains.
Read more about the project

BSR electric

BSR electric - Fostering e-mobility solutions in urban areas in the Baltic Sea Region
The Interreg project BSR electric fostered and integrated e-mobility solutions such as e-logistics, e-bikes, e-buses, e-scooters, and e-ferries, in urban transport systems in eight countries across the Baltic Sea region.
Read more about the project

ReNutriWater

Closing local water circuits by recirculating nutrients and water and using them in nature
The ReNutriWater helps public authorities develop action plans to recover wastewater, and reuse it for cleaning, watering recreational areas and plants as well as domestic purposes.
Read more about the project

FoodLoops

Local cooperation for circular biowaste in schools and beyond
The project FoodLoops establishes cooperation among schools, caterers (SMEs), farmers, and professionals in a circular economy to improve biowaste separation at source, prevent excessive food waste and reuse it as organic compost.
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

BALTIPLAST

Baltic Approaches to Handling Plastic Pollution under a Circular Economy Context
The project BALTIPLAST brings technological solutions to help public authorities reduce plastic waste and trigger investments in sustainable sorting and recycling.
Read more about the project

BEACH-SOS

Climate Smart Baltic Beaches and Tourism
The BEACH-SOS project helps authorities, businesses, and local communities adapt to the changing climate to ensure thriving and sustainable beach recreation and tourism in the future.
Read more about the project

RegenT

Integrating Regenerative Practices in Nature and Cultural Tourism​
RegenT project platform develops a regenerative tourism hub, offering training and policy recommendations for public authorities, destination management organisations (DMOs), NGOs, and business support organisations to make revitalisation and sustainable tourism a guiding strategy across the region. RegenT consolidates outcomes from 7 EU projects.
Read more about the project

COMPLETE

Completing management options in the Baltic Sea Region to reduce risk of invasive species introduction by shipping
The Interreg project COMPLETE contributed to the reduction of the uncontrolled introduction of invasive species in the region by introducing a unified approach to monitoring and operational risk assessment on a national level.
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

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

BSR Stars S3

Stimulating smart specialization ecosystem through engaging SMEs in open innovation processes
Through the project BSR Stars S3, business support organisations, public authorities and policy makers in several regions around the Baltic Sea know more about how to turn their smart specialisation strategies for advancing bio and circular economies into action.
Read more about the project

Energy Equilibrium

Carbon driven energy equilibrium at the municipal scale
The project Energy Equilibrium helps public authorities and energy suppliers secure uninterrupted energy supply by developing solutions to store renewable energy.
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Baltic TRAM

Transnational Research Access in Macro-Region
The Interreg project BalticTRAM successfully connected companies from the Baltic Sea region with universities, research institutes, and large scale research infrastructures across eight countries and helped 15 SMEs solve specific challenges in product development, e.g. for sustainable cement, better medical test kits, more durable electronics and longer lasting batteries.
Read more about the project

BiC BRIDGE

Biomarker Commercialization – IVD applicable Biomarker Research and Innovation implementation Development GuidE
BiC BRIDGE helped smaller players of the biomarker development sector to streamline their biomarker development, and provided guidance, both on the regulatory framework and on the necessary steps linked to commercialisation.

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

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

BaltCityPrevention

Baltic Cities tackle lifestyle related diseases – The development of an innovative model for prevention interventions targeting public health authorities in the Baltic Sea Region
The Interreg project BaltCityPrevention helped public health authorities in the cities around the Baltic Sea to better promote healthy lifestyle, introduce eHealth technologies and strengthen cooperation between public health authorities and business.
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

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

Helping spatial planners see the cultural heritage of the sea
Read more about the project

BlueBioSites

Data, information and tools to identify and monitor optimal sites for the Blue Bioeconomy in the Baltic Sea Region
BlueBioSites aims to develop a ‘large scale’ project with the objective to create a Baltic Sea wide effective system for the identification and monitoring of Blue Bioeconomy sites covering mussel and macroalgae cultivations, fish aquaculture, microalgae and reed harvesting sites. The project focuses on data and information necessary to identify new sites, as well as the monitoring of existing sites, and shall provide recommendations on most effective technology means to generate such data.
Read more about the project

ClimateAligned

Climate-Aligned budgeting at municipalities
The idea of ClimateAligned focuses on the matter that today many municipalities in Europe address the problem of climate change by implementing certain climate mitigation and adaptation policies and goals, but a concept which takes the whole municipal policy and the available budget into account is lacking. The main project wants to deliver a concept for guidelines for municipalities where budget decisions can be examined in terms of climate relevance over a longer time horizon. This would mean to develop a decision support methodology how to assess planning decisions and budget proposals in terms of their climate mitigation and adaptation relevance and their potential to contribute to mitigation and adaptation efforts in a systematic fashion.
Read more about the project

Baltic Urban Living

Baltic Urban Living. Brownfields regeneration in sustainable and resources efficient mixed-use areas for eco-social living and working.
A shift from the industrial to information economy that took place last century resulted in some abandoned and frequently contaminated areas in cities. Baltic Urban Living tackles the issue of these so-called brownfield areas and proposes assessment and spatial design tools in order to turn them back into high quality living and working environments. A common platform will help local authorities, researchers and other interested actors cooperate and exchange best practices on efficient handling brownfield areas
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

CONTAR

Contaminated sediments in the Baltic Sea: assessment, remediation and management revisited
In marine coastal environments, sediments contaminated by anthropogenic activities are a significant source of hazardous substances. However, there is lack of harmonised assessment methodology or common management protocols for contaminated sediments among the Baltic Sea countries. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop guidelines to combine chemical and biological measurements to obtain reliable evaluations of sediment toxicity. The project aims at creating a platform for analysing state of the art in the current risk assessment of contaminated sediments in order to set the basis for the harmonisation of methodologies.
Read more about the project

IWAMA

Interactive WAter MAnagement
The Interreg project IWAMA equipped waste water managers with new audit tools and a durable platform for life-long learning and exchange so that they can better protect our environment, in particular by optimising the energy use and sludge management of waste water treatment plants.
Read more about the project

Care@Home

Outpatient care and integrated day care provided by housing companies - affordable arrangements and solutions in home care services for elderly people
The ageing population is a major social, economic and cultural challenge in every civil society. As many elderly would like to continue to live independently and self-determined in their current environment, an increasing number of older people need to receive care services at home. The Care@Home project aims to provide a solution for this challenge by showing how a cooperation between professional care service providers and housing companies will lead to mutual benefits of all parties involved.
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

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

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

ChemSAR

Operational plans and procedures for maritime search and rescue in HNS incidents
The Interreg project ChemSAR provided national rescue authorities and services around the Baltic Sea with operational plans and common procedures to harmonise maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations in incidents involving hazardous and noxious substances (HNS), and by this to save more lives.
Read more about the project

BEST ACE

Biogas - Established Sustainable Technology in A Circular Economy
The project BEST ACE helps develop natural gas grid infrastructure and use biomethane efficiently in long-haul transport and maritime industry.
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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