Fertilizer Plant Joins in to Investigate the Phosphorus Source

- Joint sampling programme to identify the reason for high loads in Luga River downstream Kingisepp, Russia 

10 February 2012 (HELCOM Information Services) - EuroChem, who owns the fertilizer plant Phosphorit in Kingisepp, will be a part of a joint sampling programme which will determine the reasons for the reported high phosphorus loads in river Luga close to the Gulf of Finland. 

Starting from next week, intensive investigation has been agreed to begin for finding out the exact reasons behind the reported load ending up in the Luga river and to the Gulf of Finland. EuroChem has informed that it is prepared to address any sources which can be found in the Phosphorit industrial area.During the visit on Tuesday, samples were taken at four points and they will be analyzed by three laboratories in Russia and Finland.

HELCOM's BALTHAZAR project will continue as the platform for the weekly sampling activities, by cooperation between the Russian Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring body (Hydromet) and Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), in collaboration with Phosphorit. When weather conditions allow, BALTHAZAR will expand the investigation in the area. Further joint actions will be based on the results of the research.

The joint sampling programme is a result from a meeting on 7 February 2012, which was participated by the representatives of EuroChem, international, Finnish and Russian environmental protection organizations, such as HELCOM, NEFCO, SYKE; Finnish Ministry of the Environment; Rosprirodnadzor in North-West Russia, the Government of the Leningrad Oblast, and Hydromet.

The sampling carried out in ‘Luga Pilot’ in late 2011 within the framework of HELCOM's BALTHAZAR project found a potentially significant source of phosphorus to the Baltic Sea downstream from the town of Kingisepp, North-West Russia. The Luga Pilot is the result of the collaboration within the BALTHAZAR project, funded by the EU and led by the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE). The project’s Steering Group meeting on 18 January 2012, co-chaired by a representative from the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, supported the plans to use BALTHAZAR as a platform to continue the investigation immediately.

The process is being closely followed up and the progress will be reviewed at the next annual HELCOM meeting on 6-7 March 2012.

For background and updates, please go to:

http://www.helcom.fi/projects/on_going/balthazar/en_GB/river_Luga/

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The EU-funded BALTHAZAR project supports Russia in the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan, including the improvement of pollution load data contributing to HELCOM assessments. The availability of pollution load data for all coastal states is crucial to target the most cost-effective measures to reduce nutrient loading in the frame of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP). This new finding contributes important information to the currently ongoing review of the BSAP nutrient reduction targets and reporting at the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting in 2013.

The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), is an intergovernmental organisation of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. HELCOM is the governing body of the 1974 ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention.

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For further information, please contact:

Mr. Kaj Forsius

Project Manager

BALTHAZAR / HELCOM

Tel: +358 (0)46 8509212

Fax: +358 (0)207 412 645

E-mail: kaj.forsius@helcom.fi

Ms. Johanna Laurila

Information Secretary

HELCOM

Tel: +358 (0)40 523 8988

Fax: +358 (0)207 412 645