Fortum supports Clean Baltic Sea project with a considerable contribution
Fortum Corporation
Press release
1.10.2008
Fortum supports Clean Baltic Sea project with a considerable contribution
Fortum contributes EUR 400,000 to the John Nurminen Foundation's Clean Baltic
Sea project aiming at reducing phosphorous discharges from municipal sources in
Poland. The project is carried out in co-operation with the Swedish Foundation
Baltic Sea 2020 and Polish cities.
Poland has a crucial role in the protection of the Baltic Sea, since almost half
of the residents based in its watershed live in Poland. One-third of the Baltic
Sea's phosphorus load of approximately 30,000 metric tons comes from Poland. The
objective of the “Clean Baltic Sea Poland” project is to reduce 1,000 tons of
phosphorus from the effluents of selected Polish wastewater treatment plants.
The group from which the target cities and towns are selected account for 90% of
the country's total municipal wastewater flow.
In 2006, Fortum participated in a project to implement efficient phosphorous
removal at the waste water treatment plants in St. Petersburg, the biggest point
source of nutrient discharges in the Baltic Sea. As a result, the release of
phosphorous will be decreased by 1,000 tons a year by the end of the year 2010.
Although the St. Petersburg project is an important step in improving the
condition of the Baltic Sea, nutrient discharges need to decrease further in
order to improve the situation.
“As a large company with activities around the Baltic Sea, Fortum has a
responsibility to participate in the mitigation efforts. Although our own power
plants are only minor sources of phosphorous discharges to the Baltic Sea, its
protection is part of our corporate social responsibility. We have a growing
business in Poland and want to make a positive contribution also there”, says
Mikael Lilius, President and CEO of Fortum.
”A contribution from our key partners such as Fortum, enables the continuation
of our work for a cleaner Baltic Sea. Private sector support gives opportunities
to carry out focused, efficient environmental projects. We are pleased to be
able to continue our good cooperation with Fortum”, says Juha Nurminen, Chair of
the Board of the John Nurminen Foundation.
The John Nurminen Foundation is a non-profit organisation focusing on the Baltic
Sea and to improving its deteriorating condition. The environmental work of the
Foundation is financed by donations from public and private sources.
Baltic Sea 2020 is an independent foundation whose objective is to contribute to
improving the environment in the Baltic Sea by taking concrete measures. Baltic
Sea 2020 was established as a foundation through a private donation made by
Björn Carlson in the autumn 2005.
Fortum Corporation
Corporate Communications
Further information:
www.cleanbalticsea.fi
www.fortum.com/sustainability
Carola Teir-Lehtinen,
Corporate Vice President, Sustainability, Fortum
Tel.+358 10 45 24118
carola.teir-lehtinen@fortum.com
Marjukka Porvari,
Director, John Nurminen Foundation
Tel. +358 41 549 1535
marjukka.porvari@johnnurminen.com
