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Application of ecosystem principles for the location and management of offshore dumping sites in SE Baltic Region (ECODUMP)
Start date: May 31, 2011, End date: Dec 30, 2014 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Project background: Currently, there are more than 20 offshore dumping sites in South-Eastern Baltic Sea, which are used for the depositing of dredged mainly from port areas and navigation channels. Development and maintenance of new ports will imply dredging of several million m3 of sediments in coming years, thus the need for new dumping sites should be also considered. Offshore dumping in the Baltic Sea is regulated by «Convention on thePrevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Substances» (LondonConvention on dumping-LKD, 1972, amended in 1996) and the requirements of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea (HELCOM, 1992), as well as the requirements of the «Guidelines on the assessment of wastes or other materials that may be considered for dumping».HELCOM guidelines address the questions of sediments dumping in the maritime areas with particular focus on: what should be investigated and environmental consequences for marine biota. However guidelines lacks of detailed principles of dumping sites location and further management. Project rationale and aims: ECODUMP will use the existing experience of South-Eastern countries and international cooperation networks in order to prepare recommendations for proper management of dumping sites by: a) developing comprehensive monitoring programme for the existing dumping sites; b) developing new ecosystem based principles for the location of new dumping sites. ECODUMP will apply the procedures of Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) framework by performing detailed environmental, socio-economic conflict assessment for the location of new dumping sites. The content of ECODUMP focuses on the development of an effective tools for the proper management of offshore dumping sites to be applied in South-Eastern Baltic - particularly sensitive area, suffering from the lack of sediments, especially in the coastal zones. Proposed methodology and prepared principles wil be tested during the pilot studies in project areas. Although the main target areas of the project are territorial waters and exclusive economic zone of Lithuania, Poland and Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) final outputs of the project could be used as a decision support tool among relevant organizations in other Baltic Sea regions.Main results of the project: • prepared monitoring programme for dumping sites; principles of new dumping site location using MSP procedure and ecosystem based principles;• recommendations to HELCOM for new dumping sites location; • EIA study for pilot dumping site near Sventoji (LT); • established cross-boarder network of experts for offshore dumping sites management and control. Achievements: Project activities foreseen in the project application form were implemented according to the schedule. The last Project Steering Committee Meeting was successfully hosted in Lithuania on 28th of November 2014. Progress in project implementation was highlighted in semi-annual Progress reports (6 reports completed, 1 is being prepared). Project activities are successfully promoted during regional and local events. Project consortium prepared detailed analysis of legislative requirements on the topic, analysed current situation in the existing dumping sites and organised new scientific surveys for new data collection. Final version of the "Monitoring and control programme of dumping sites" was supplemented with the results of dioxin mapping by including the dioxins in the list of components, which should be monitored further on a regular basis.The output is of major importance for Poland, which had no established monitoring system for the dumping sites. This has been changed and proper monitoring and dumping control programme has been developed. Latest results from the project are being used for the preparation of scientific article, to be published in the peer-reviewed journal. EIA study for Lithuanian new dumping sites is finalized, but still should be officially approved by the responsible national authority. Modeling research of potential sediment spreading is finalized. One of the main success achieved - established community for eco-dumping approach with experts from Poland, Lithuania, Russia and HELCOM. In order to sustain the durability of project results ECODUMP Advisory Group was established. The members of the group undersigned the Commitment to work further on the activities covered in the project, related to applications of sustainable management of dredged material in the South Baltic region including ecologically grounded dumping of clean sediments. The main output produced - guidelines for the location of dumping sites. The document integrates both legal and environmental concerns and fosters the sustainable use of marine resources as well as contributes to the achievement of good environmental status of the Baltic Sea.
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Details

  • 78.9%   758 183,45
  • 2007 - 2013 South Baltic (PL-SE-DK-LT-DE)
  • Project on KEEP Platform
Project Website

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