PFAS Source Tracking, Mitigation, and Remediation in the Central Baltic
The project aims to reduce the load of PFAS compounds in the Baltic Sea through cooperation between municipal and regional authorities, water utilities and water treatment companies.
The initial phase of the project involves creating a PFAS source tracking and mitigation tool specifically designed for municipalities, regions, and water companies. This tool will empower authorities and water providers to initiate strategic PFAS tracking efforts, identify critical contamination areas, and receive novel PFAS remediation recommendations.
In the subsequent step, municipalities, regions and municipal water companies will collaboratively develop PFAS monitoring and remediation programs. These joint initiatives will equip them to implement the most relevant administrative and technical measures, effectively preventing or halting PFAS influx into the Baltic Sea. The project will also test technical remediation measures across participating countries by employing innovative methods at the storm water systems in Sweden and Estonia, Finland and WWTP in Latvia.
Additionally, BalticPFASResolve will also promote collaboration between municipalities and firefighting brigades, including airport rescue services. Such targeted cooperation will enable the cost-effective and timely PFAS remediation.
Cross-border cooperation is pivotal for our success in reducing PFAS in the Baltic Sea. It will allow us to jointly develop methods that can be used by all countries around the Baltic Sea, share experiences, learn from each other, and contribute to PFAS policy development at the EU level.
MikseiMikkeli will be responsible for the Case Study and piloting in Mikkeli. A model describing the PFAS flow in the water system that is connected to a waste water treatment plant (WWTP) will be developed and tested in cooperation with SVOA. The Mikkeli wastewater treatment plant has not previously investigated the presence and flow of PFAS to wastewater and sewage sludge. The Mikkeli WWTP uses MBR technology. It is important to know how much PFAS is entering the plant with the wastewater and how effectively the MBR process stops them. It is also important to know the amount of PFAS in the sludge. Hypothetically, if the MBR process removes PFAS, they will end up in the sludge. Therefore, for the further utilisation of the sludge, it is important to know the amount of PFAS in the sludge.
We are also able to investigate the amount of PFAS in storm water and leakage waters of waste management centre. It is also interesting whether the PFAS load is affected by the proximity of the Russian border. For this purpose the PFAS source tracking will be performed within the territory of the municipality (catchment area) in collaboration with the Mikkeli municipality. This activity will be a part of the WP1 that aims to identify PFAS hot spots as well as initiate PFAS remediation programme within the municipality.
MikseiMikkeli organises visits to the Blue Economy Mikkeli Centre of Excellence and the state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant for project personnel and potential stakeholders. It also organises an international conference where the results of the project can be disseminated to motivate water utilities and experts for PFAS source tracking.