BAPR – Baltic Phytoremediation

Project description

Contamination of soil represents a growing challenge across the world. In Sweden, the government has identified 25,000 areas of contaminated soil that are listed in national and regional databases and in Poland and Lithuania areas of soil contaminated by heavy metals, fertilizers and other chemical pollutants are probably just as abundant. The most common methods for cleansing soil are the removal and depositing of top soil from contaminated areas and the cleansing of soil by chemical methods. At the same time, these crops can play an important role in local energy production as they can be used as fuel once they have served their original purpose. This is what the project Baltic Phytoremediation (BAPR) aims to do with the promising phytoremediation method.

It has been tested, but it is still in the early stages of development. It is based on the growing of plants that take up the pollutants and store it in their biomass. The plants are then harvested, and the pollutants are easily and inexpensively removed with the plants and they can, for example, be used for the production of biogas. When valuable metals are involved, those metals may even be recovered and re-used. The process can continue for several years and the area can provide biomass to be used for biogas production or incineration in combined heat and power plants. Phytoremediation also provides a visually attractive area during the remediation process.

The project will have a positive impact on cleaning soil, and will reduce and remove pollutants such as heavy metals, microplastics or industrial chemicals. It will also have an impact on tourism as the project activities will increase the attractiveness of the park to the public and promote green solutions.

Project outputs

Curious about phytoremediation – BAPR Webinar 

Study visit to Nordvästra Skånes Renhållnings AB (NSR) in cooperation with Hässleholms Miljö AB (HMAB)

Pilot Cases

Klaipeda region

Gdańsk

Project website

Find the BAPR Project website here.