Control of hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea region

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Hazardous substances are one of environmental problems of the Baltic Sea. Recently 11 hazardous substances and substance groups have been taken into consideration in the area and a specific programme established for these substances (HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan BSAP, hazardous substances segment). Project Control of hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea region – COHIBA focused on these 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. The main project website: www.cohiba-project.net www.environment.fi/syke/cohiba 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. COHIBA is one of the flagship projects of the EU Baltic Sea Region Strategy. The project had 22 partners in 8 Baltic Sea region (BSR) countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) was the lead partner. Partners presented various branches including national authorities, municipalities, research institutes, NGOs and an intergovernmental organisation - HELCOM. The duration was 2009 – 2012. Activities of the project included development of wastewater control methods, and a new application of the Whole Effluent Assessment approach based on use of biological tests. Furthermore identification of sources of the target substances, assessment and models of discharges and flows, and informing and capacity building of stakeholders and end-users, especially in the eastern Baltic Sea area, were important parts of project plans. Main outputs included 3 large work package reports, a summary report and fact sheets on the target substances including information of measures and management, and several workshops and seminars, several times also in Russia, and a wide training programme in the eastern Baltic Sea Region (BSR). The project will also participate to the cluster 'Baltic Impulse - save the Baltic Sea waters' consisting of environmental projects in the BSRP. Results were produced on various levels: - increased awareness of the target substances among policy makers - contribution to joint assessments in the BSR on the substances - efficient exchange of information among stakeholders of HELCOM countries - information is targeted also to the general public and forwarded outside the BSR.

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