BEST – Better efficiency for Industrial Sewage Treatment

The BEST project aims at ensuring efficient treatment of industrial wastewaters by promoting cooperation and best practices between industries, municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWWTP) and local environmental authorities in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR).

Industrial wastewater differs from domestic wastewater due to factors such as its high solid contents, differing hazardous substances, and fluctuating volumes. Because MWWTPs are primarily designed to treat domestic wastewater, wastewater with abnormal content, such as industrial wastewater, can seriously harm the treatment process at MWWTPs if it is not handled correctly. Ultimately, such problems can lead to higher discharges of nutrients and harmful substances into the natural environment.

Project activities

  • The main output of the BEST project are the BSR wide guidelines for efficient management of industrial effluents. The guidelines describe the legislative, technical and institutional developments and solutions needed in order to move towards more responsible and efficient management of industrial wastewater and sludge.
  • A description of the current situation of industrial effluents entering MWWTPs in the BSR has been produced by identifying the main polluters, and their possible impacts on the treatment processes at the MWWTPs.
  • BEST also works for capacity development in WWTPs, industrial companies and local and regional authorities to support more efficient co-treatment, management and monitoring of industrial wastewater. Within the project, several international and national events have been organized. The capacity building work will result in learning materials and a training concept.
  • Altogether five project partners invested in new solutions for industrial wastewater treatment. The investing partners include both MWWTPs and dairy industries. 

 

Funding: INTERREG Baltic Sea Region Programme 2014-2020

Budget: EUR 3.4 million with ERDF funding: EUR 2.7 million

Duration: October 2017 – September 2020

The BEST project received an EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Flagship status for Policy Area Nutri.