COHIBA

Title: Control of hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea region

Summary: Hazardous substances are one of environmental problems of the Baltic Sea. Recently eleven 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.

Informing and capacity building of stakeholders and end-users, especially in the eastern Baltic Sea area, were an important part of project plans. The main outputs included three 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 in the project cluster "Baltic Impulse - save the Baltic Sea waters" consisting of environmental projects in the BSR Programme.

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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