Flagships should have a high macro-regional impact and generally deal with policy relevant issues while contributing to meet the objectives, indicators and targets of the relevant policy area and the EUSBSR.
Policy Area Hazards currently has five ongoing flagship projects.
BSR pharmaceuticals (PIE) platform
Pharmaceutical residues in the Baltic Sea are causing concern as the full impact for the marine environment is still unknown. Human and livestock excretion of drugs and metabolites following consumption, as well as disposal of unused pharmaceuticals, are pathways to the environment. Many pharmaceutical substances cannot be effectively removed by conventional waste water treatment.
The flagship aims at offering an umbrella for the implementation of projects and activities in order to reduce pharmaceuticals in the Baltic environment, as well as to support regional policy development and stakeholder cooperation.
Work on Per- and poly fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
PFAS is a collective name for over 3000 industrially produced chemicals. They are used in many products such as in firefighting and impregnating agents. PFAS are hazardous to human health and the environment as many of them are toxic, bio-accumulative and highly persistent in the environment. In 2017, EUSBSR PA Hazards published the following report:
Various efforts are proposed for further work to reduce the use of hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea area. Knowledge and awareness varies within the region, thus it is necessary to transfer knowledge from countries that have come further in the process of developing national actions. PA Hazards is developing this new thematic area on PFAS under the EUSBSR Action: Promote research and innovative management. The aim is to increase knowledge about effects and sources of PFAS as an emerging pollutant relevant to the Baltic Sea, and support the development of innovative and cost-effective management options.
CHANGE
Changing antifouling practices for leisure boats in the Baltic Sea (2014–2017, funded by BONUS)
A great majority of leisure boats in the Baltic use toxic compounds to prevent fouling organisms to attach to the boat hull (antifouling). Today, the most commonly used biocide in antifouling paints is copper oxide but other prohibited compounds such as TBT is still being released to the environment during hull cleaning and maintenance work.
The overall objective of the CHANGE project was to reduce to a minimum the supply of toxic compounds from antifouling paints used on leisure boats in the Baltic Sea. This was achieved by changing antifouling practices on leisure boats into a sustainable consumption of antifouling products and techniques. For that purpose, CHANGE developed an interdisciplinary and integrated scientific platform of business administration, environmental law and natural science that worked in close collaboration with stakeholders and end-users to identify the interrelated impacts and driving forces inherent in the problem.
Results from the project, including policy recommendations can be found in the project's final report.
CHANGE project results have directly contributed to policy development within the framework of the Helsinki Commission, HELCOM, informing the currently on-going revision process of Helcom recommendation 20-4 (1999) on measures to address antifouling paints.
BLASTIC
Plastic waste pathways into the Baltic Sea (2016–2018, funded by Interreg Central Baltic)
The BLASTIC project demonstrates how plastic waste in urban areas finds its way to the Baltic Sea and becomes marine litter. Land-based sources count for most of the marine litter, while rivers are major pathways. BLASTIC takes regional and national strategies into use on a local level, produces updated local action plans, provides a methodology for mapping the most important sources and pathways of marine plastic litter, and monitor litter in rivers and coastal waters/areas.
As a result, the project compiles a list of sources and pathways, as well as recommendations for resource efficiency in the waste and water sector. The methodology is implemented in 3-4 urban areas and the concept is further promoted in other areas. As a result of the project, the amount and inflow of plastic marine litter and hazardous substances will be reduced in the Baltic Sea. The project will produce real data and a new methodology that suits the pilot areas, as well as general guidelines with a list of identified and prioritized sources. This project was designed for continuation after the project is completed, thereby creating lasting conditions that will ultimately contribute to the reduced inflow of hazardous substances and toxins into the Baltic Sea.
NonHazCity
Innovative management solutions for minimizing emissions of hazardous substances from urban areas in the Baltic Sea Region (2016–2019, funded by Interreg Baltic Sea Region)
Regulation and control of emissions of hazardous substances from small scale emitters in urban areas is challenging due to e.g. low concentrations of the substances of concern and the large number of emitters. The NonHazCity project wants to demonstrate possibilities for municipalities and WWTPs to reduce emissions of priority hazardous substances and other pollutants from small scale emitters in urban areas that cannot be reached by traditional wastewater treatment or enforcement techniques.
The project acts in 10 municipalities in the Baltic Sea Region. For each individual partner municipality, relevant substances of concern will be identified and prioritized, sources tracked and ranked, and locally adapted Hazardous Substance Source Maps and Chemicals Action Plans will be developed. Municipalities will exercise their own substance reduction measures at their premises. Private small scale businesses will do pilot substitution actions and improve their chemical assortment. Inhabitants will be shown their hazardous substance emission share and test the use of less hazardous chemicals in everyday household management to help to protect the Baltic Sea environment but also their own health.
DAIMON
Decision aid for marine munitions (2016–2019, funded by Interreg Baltic Sea Region)
Chemical and conventional ammunition dumped in the Baltic Sea contains a wide range of hazardous substances. The environmental effects of some of these substances, such as arsenic compounds, are well known, while in other cases the knowledge is insufficient to make proper risk assessments. Considering the growing use of the seabed for economic purposes the likelihood of disturbing dumped warfare agents, causing emissions to the surrounding environment and risk of human and wildlife exposure, is increasing. DAIMON aims to increase the knowledge base on how to assess the environmental risk of dumped ammunition, especially in areas with high risk of conflict with maritime activities, and evaluate the risks and benefits of various management options.
DAIMON will perform both laboratory and field studies. The project will develop biological and chemical assessment methods to evaluate the impacts of dumped chemical and conventional ammunition on ecosystem, maritime activities and humans as seafood consumers. Risks associated with selected corroding warfare objects (individual containers and wrecks filled with munitions) will be closely examined. Management scenarios will be developed for each object. On the basis of all this information a, decision-aid software will be created for, and in consultation with the relevant maritime authorities. This tool will propose and describe a management strategy most feasible for the given case, which subsequently will be tested on all six DAIMON case study areas in order to create a best practice collection on the management of marine ammunitions in the Baltic Sea Region and beyond.
Contact: hyron@iopan.gda.pl
Finalized flagships 2009–2015
Since 2009 a number of successful flagships have been implemented under PA Hazards, contributing to the implementation of the objectives of Policy Area Hazards, as well as to the objectives and sub-objectives of the EUSBSR.
EUSBSR PA Hazards Flagship results and impacts
The COHIBA example: Control of hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea region
The Baltic Sea is at present loaded by hazardous substances (HSs) in addition to the well-known impacts of nutrients and eutrophication. In the BSR a group of HSs has been selected for prioritised interest (substances and substance groups of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan BSAP). These prioritised substances were targets of the COHIBA project – Control of hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea region. COHIBA focused on eleven substances and groups, with the following main objectives:
- Identification of sources in countries around the Baltic Sea.
- Development of innovative toxicity based cost-effective monitoring.
- Analysis of flow patterns to the Baltic Sea.
- Development of recommendations for management measures.
- Knowledge transfer of best practices and capacity building.
This project gave methodological support to the implementation of the BSAP. The products of COHIBA are also applicable in the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive and the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive.