Recovering the Baltic Sea
by reducing harmful inflows of nutrients and hazardous substances
Problems in the Baltic Sea
Harmful inflow of nutrients and hazardous substances is a challenge the Baltic Sea has faced for many years and still struggles to tackle.
What can I do?
Mighty oaks from little acorns grow. Every small act counts. Reduce, reuse and recycle!
Best Practices
How to build a phosphorus filter? How to reduce nitrogen inflow to the water cycle? How to remove hazardous substances from the water?
The Baltic Sea Quiz
Challenge yourself and your friends in our quiz about the Baltic Sea.
The Baltic Sea Quiz
General
What is the average depth of the Baltic Sea?
304 m
503 m
54 m
185 m
Correct!
Wrong!
General
The Baltic Sea is world’s second largest brackish water area. Salinity of the Atlantic is about 35 per mill (‰). Salinity of the Baltic Sea varies a lot from area to area. What is the average salinity of the Baltic?
4 per mill
7 per mill
15 per mill
35 per mill
Correct!
Wrong!
General
The water of the Baltic Sea changes slowly. About how long it takes for all the water of the Baltic Sea to change?
15–20 years
30–50 years
75–90 years
130–150 years
Correct!
Wrong!
Nutrients
What are the most significant nutrients causing eutrophication?
Nitrogen and phosphorus.
Potassium and calcium.
Magnesium and sulphur.
Phosphorus and potassium.
Correct!
Wrong!
Nutrients
Majority of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution through water ways are from agriculture. How big part of each?
40% nitrogen, 30% phosphorus
20% nitrogen, 40% phosphorus
60% nitrogen, 50% phosphorus
70% nitrogen, 60% phosphorus
Correct!
Wrong!
Nutrients
Which of the nutrients ending up in the Baltic Sea accelerates especially the growth of blue-green algae?
Nitrogen
Potassium
Phosphorus
None of the above
Correct!
Wrong!
Aquatic vegetation
Why the grass-wrack meadows are important for the Baltic Sea?
Grass-wrack is one of the key species of the Baltic Sea with many other species depending on its well-being.
Grass-wrack meadows produce more oxygen than forests of same areal size.
Grass-wrack meadows clean the water by recycling the nutrients causing the eutrophication.
For all the above reasons.
Correct!
Wrong!
Plastics
How much plastics was estimated to be floating in the world’s oceans (2015)?
About 270 000 tons
About 100 000 tons
About 700 000 tons
About 50 000 tons
Correct!
Wrong!
Plastics
What are microplastics?
Parts of larger plastic debris that degrades into smaller and smaller pieces.
Plastic added as exfoliants to health and beauty products, such as some cleansers and toothpastes.
Plastic fibers coming off from synthetically produced textiles (e.g. fleece) through use and washing.
All above that partly end up into the Baltic Sea.
Correct!
Wrong!
Plastics
Why microplastics are harmful?
They absorb toxic chemicals and are ingested by animals and finally killing them.
They circulate in the food chain ending up also on our own plates.
They harm the recycling of sludge produced in wastewater purification process.
All above.
Correct!
Wrong!
Hazardous substances
What are the hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea?
Substances that are toxic, permanent and bio-accumulative.
Substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or harmful to reproduction of animals.
Substances that are harmful to environment in some other way.
All above.
Correct!
Wrong!
Hazardous substances
How expired or unused pharmaceuticals should be disposed?
Along with the mixed waste.
Return them to pharmacy.
Flush them down to toilet.
All of the above are OK.
Correct!
Wrong!
Hazardous substances
Per- and polyfluoroalkyls (PFOS and PFOA) are hazardous substances. What are they?
Compounds used in pesticides.
Group of super fertilizers making the crops more resistant to plant diseases.
Group of compounds resistant to heat, water, and oil, used e.g. in clothes, shoes, microwave popcorn bags, frying pans and electronics.
All of the above.
Correct!
Wrong!
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The Baltic Sea Quiz
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Play Video
Short introduction of the WaterChain project
WaterChain reduces the inflows of nutrients and hazardous substances ending up in the Baltic Sea.
The project has two main approaches:
- Raising awareness of the effects of everyday actions on the Baltic Sea and introducing various means to reduce the chemical and nutrient load.
- Reducing the inflow of nutrients and hazardous substances by utilizing environmental technology.
When?
10/2015 – 9/2018
Who?
- Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (Lead Partner, FI)
- Pyhäjärvi Institute (FI)
- Turku University of Applied Sciences (FI)
- Åland Waterworks Ltd. (FI)
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology (SE)
- Tallinn University of Technology (EE)
- Estonian Environmental Research Centre (EE)
- Riga Technical University (LV)
- Foundation “Institute for Environmental Solutions” (LV)
Why?
To reduce the inflows of nutrients and hazardous substances to the Baltic Sea
How?
Using pilot watersheds and environmental technology
Stakeholders
Ministries, local authorities, municipalities, industry, education, local people