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in how to combine biological chemical wastewater treatment processes in the most cost-efficient and result-efficient way, so that energy can be recovered. Kemira has developed several kinds of coagulants and applications for various kinds of surface waters. And engineering companies have developed solid water separation technologies. "Companies such as Rictor and Wiser are strong in flotation technology. Larox Much of Finland's recent work on Baltic protection has been linked to helping the metropolis of St. Petersburg, Russia. and DWT-Engineering have been successful in exporting belt filters, a cost and maintenance-efficient sludge dewatering technology." Helping St. Petersburg clean up Much of Finland's recent work on Baltic protection has been linked to helping the metropolis of St. Petersburg, Russia with roughly the same population as all of Finland to stop dumping raw sewage into the Baltic. "The new St. Petersburg SouthWest Wastewater Treatment Plant is really important," stresses Leading Researcher Heikki Pitkänen of Finnish Environment Institute SYKE. "When the whole system under construction is in operation, it will cut eutrophying phosphorous loads into the Gulf of Finland by about onethird compared with before the project started in 2004." The Finnish state has been heavily involved in this effort to halt nontreated effluent discharge, contributing 10 million euros between 2002 and 2004. Finland's YIT Corporation won a European Business Award for the Environment in 2006 for its construction of the South-West Wastewater Treatment Plant, which was cited for contributing significantly to reducing pollution in the Baltic. KWH Pipe supplied pipeline materials and welding services for the project, pu ing in more than 42 kilometres of pipes, including gravity pipelines, pressurised systems and district heating cogeneration pipes. The company also installed pipes for St. Petersburg's potable water system. The fragile Baltic Finland has an abundant supply of clean water for its population of 5.3 million and is home to one of Europe's largest lakes, the Saimaa. The country's water supply is one of the regions biggest and purest. The Baltic, which surrounds the country on two sides, is a different story. "The Baltic is one of the most loaded marine bodies in the world, considering its sensitivity," says Anna-Stiina Heiskanen, Research Manager at the Finnish Environment Institute SYKE's Research Programme for the Protection of the Baltic Sea. "Discharge of nutrients via rivers and from municipal wastewaters particularly from Poland and Russia is high considering the Baltic's sensitivity." Those nutrients cause eutrophication, which is seen in rafts of toxic blue-green algae during warm summers. "If we have soluble phosphorus in surface water, we get algae blooms," says Jantunen. "Algae sink to the bottom, so we get more organic substances on the seabed, which decompose and use up the available oxygen. There's areas where there is no oxygen at all, so it's totally dead." Lead Researcher Heikki Pitkänen of SYKE points out other issues, too: "The rapidly increasing oil transport raises the threat of large oil spill accidents." Authorities and companies working together What, then, are Finnish authorities and companies doing to help save the fragile Baltic? Much Finnish public-sector work is centred on the Helsinki Commission, set up by a 1992 convention signed by all countries bordering on the Baltic and by the EU. Based in the Finnish capital, HELCOM works to protect the sea from pollution through intergovernmental action. "Another key body is the Finnish Environment Institute, which made an evaluation of the most cost efficient measures to reduce the nutrient load on the Gulf of Finland," says Jantunen. "A big step was when St. Petersburg started chemical phosphorus removal in its biggest wastewater treatment plant in late 2007. Now chemical phosphorus removal has spread to almost every treatment plant in the city." She cites more examples of what Kemira is doing to limit harmful chemicals from flowing into the Baltic and inland waters. "We've developed technology to precipitate soluble phosphorus and to separate solids from liquid cow and pig manure. Our technology prevents phosphorus from running into the sea. We're also very much involved in increasing recycling of fertilisers mostly phosphorus and nitrogen from municipal wastewater sludge. And we have developed absorbents for removing phosphorus from field drainage water." The CEO of Vaasa Water says his company, too, is working to help cut emissions into waterways. "On phosphate and biological oxygen demand, EU standards demand an effectiveness of about 85 per cent and Finnish standards about 90 per cent, but our purification rate is usually around 95 97 per cent," says Pertti Reinikainen. The public sector "should be in the front line by showing a good example and setting tight demands," says Aija Jantunen. "The private sector and water utilities should do this through technologies that give fast, concrete results." Heikki Pitkänen adds: "Companies should develop fertilisers and agricultural practices to decrease fertiliser leaching from fields. They should also continue developing effective, low-cost systems for wastewater treatment of municipalities, scattered dwellings and animal industry." On the official side, "development cooperation and environmental work by government ministries in neighbouring countries should include lobbying on environmental issues," suggests Jantunen. 18 FOCUS
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