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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

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

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

SusTool

Sustainability Reporting Tool
The project SusTool develops the ESG Tool, a free digital platform that helps businesses understand environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria and prepare for sustainability reporting.
Read more about the project

CAMS Platform

Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Synergies in Energy Efficiency Projects
Local authorities and energy auditors learned how to provide higher quality, quicker, and more holistic energy audits harmonised across the Baltic Sea region based on the knowledge synthesised from a dozen of EU funded projects.
Read more about the project

Baltic ForBio

Accelerating production of forest bioenergy in the Baltic Sea Region
The Interreg project Baltic ForBio increased production of renewable energy by using forest biomass in Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and triggered new business models for small-scale forest bioenergy plants across the Baltic Sea region.
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

NovelBaltic

Market driven authentic Non-Timber Forest Products from the Baltic region - focus on wild and semi cultivated species with business potential
NovelBaltic helps small and medium-sized enterprises to improve the market uptake of non-timber forest products from the Baltic Sea region.
Read more about the project

BalticSatApps

Speeding up Copernicus Innovation for the BSR Environment and Security
The Interreg project BalticSatApps improved the usability of satellite data provided by the European Copernicus Programme and ensured its further integration in decision-making to trigger innovation in the Baltic Sea region.
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

We make transition!

Towards sustainable and resilient societies through empowered civil society and collaborative innovation
In the project We make transition! public authorities work on social and ecological initiatives with civil society, and co-create changes in the areas of consumption, mobility, energy and social life.
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

MARELITT Baltic

MARELITT Baltic - Reducing the impact of marine litter in the form of Derelict Fishing Gear (DFG) on the Baltic Sea environment
The Interreg project MARELITT Baltic developed a sustainable strategy for national authorities around the Baltic Sea to manage derelict fishing gear, which is marine litter with extensive hazardous effects on the marine ecosystem.
Read more about the project

Creative Ports

Creative Ports - Internationalisation of the Cultural and Creative Industries in the Baltic Sea Region
Creative ports facilitated internationalisation, joint value creation and peer learning in cultural and creative industries.
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

EmpInno Monitor S3

EmpInno Monitoring Smart Specialisation Strategies
The project EmpInno Monitor S3 equipped public authorities responsible for smart specialisation strategies (RIS3) with improved RIS3 monitoring systems that allow to better assess and design the innovation policy tools.
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

BEST

Better Efficiency for Industrial Sewage Treatment
The project BEST enhanced collaboration among local water utilities, wastewater treatment plants, industrial companies, and local environmental authorities to ensure more efficient management of industrial sewage in the Baltic Sea region and ultimately protect the environment.
Read more about the project

BaltSusBoating 2030

Baltic Sustainable Boating 2030 - Making leisure boating in the Baltic Sea fit for the post-pandemic boating tourism market
The project BaltSusBoating 2030 creates a pan-Baltic cooperation platform to turn the Baltic Sea region into a sustainable and competitive leisure boating destination.
Read more about the project

BioBoosters

BioBoosters - Boosting the circular transition
The project BioBoosters brings together bio-based businesses in rural areas to share the know-how in circular production, and trigger green business opportunities.
Read more about the project

Supported by Nature

Supported by Nature - nature based solution learning sites for a sustainable Baltic Sea
The project Supported by Nature unites six Baltic Sea countries in one mission: to increase the understanding of nature-based solutions. Learning sites for local authorities and education- and research institutions are being set up in coastal, wetland, and watercourse areas to showcase best practices.
Read more about the project

BSI_4Women

The Baltic Sea Initiative for the Development of Business Activity of Refugee Women
In the project BSI_4Women, public authorities and business support organisations help women refugees from Ukraine and beyond start their own businesses and become active community members.
Read more about the project

GREEN CRUISE PORT

GREEN CRUISE PORT - Sustainable Development of Cruise Port Locations
In the Interreg project Green Cruise Ports, eight major cruise ports at the Baltic Sea lifted sustainability up on their agenda and committed themselves to decoupling growth from negative environmental impact of port and vessel operations; they jointly established an action plan for more sustainable investments over the next ten years.
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

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

StratKIT+

Innovative Strategies for Public Catering: the Expansion of the Sustainable Public Meal Toolkit
The project StratKIT+ guides public authorities, catering providers and others on sustainable procurement for schools, daycare, hospitals and other public institutions.
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

OSIRIS

Supporting the Smart Specialization Approach in the Silver Economy to Increase Regional Innovation Capacity and Sustainable Growth
OSIRIS helped to accelerate the development and market uptake of innovative products and services for the elder people.
Read more about the project

CONTRA

Baltic Beach Wrack - Conversion of a Nuisance To a Resource and Asset
The CONTRA project helped local authorities and businesses in coastal destinations that rely on beach tourism identify viable solutions for managing and recycling beach wrack whilst protecting the Baltic Sea.
Read more about the project

Baltic DigiTour

Baltic DigiTour
For the dynamic knowledge area of digitalization in touristic attractions, the project is directed to setting up a new way of continuous online learning based on connectivist massive open online courses. Focusing the collaboration of learners, such connectivist massive open online courses potentially allow to tackle the fast changing learning content in a knowledge community. Towards a main project we now analyze existing connectivist massive open online course models, IT platforms as well as needs of content matter experts and potential participants.
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

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

Light in the Dark

Light in the Dark – Increasing resilience in rural and coastal tourism in the northern Baltic Sea Region by developing off-season experiences
The project Light in the Dark helps small and medium-sized enterprises in the tourism sector create an off-season nature-based offer to attract tourists to rural and coastal areas of the northern Baltic Sea region all year long.
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

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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