Vapo Clean Waters commits to develop new methods to reduce nutrient loads from agriculture

Nutrient leakages are one of the main results causing eutrophication in the Baltic Sea and the water systems. Clean Waters has made a Commitment to develop a new and cost-effective way to reduce nutrient runoffs from livestock manure and design new natural methods to decrease nutrient discharges from farmlands. Commitment supports the Baltic Deal Demofarm Network. 

Vapo is a significant bioenergy supplier and developer in Finland and in the Baltic Sea region. As part of Vapo Group, Clean Waters provides high quality and sustainable treatment solutions for natural water.

Commitment by Clean Waters reduces concentrated nutrient load from livestock production by developing and piloting an advanced treatment plant for livestock manure wastewater.

The treatment includes three phases: at first mechanical treatment with septic tanks, secondly biological treatment with evaporating willow wetland and finally an absorbing filtration, which removes the remaining nutrients.

The second part of the Commitment adheres to the nutrient discharges from farmlands. Clean Waters develops an innovative buffer zone and a model for land use aiming to recycle valuable nutrients more efficiently, and at the same time minimize nutrients leakages to water systems from rural catchment areas. The concept will designed in cooperation with research organizations and local stakeholders.

There is a high demand for practical and sustainable ways to bind and reuse nutrients. Clean Waters solutions to recover nutrients will increase the productivity of sustainable agriculture and it has a wide potential for a broader use in the Baltic Sea region.

The Commitment is expected to last two years with an option to continue thereafter. Clean Waters will also support BSAG’s Baltic Sea work with 5000 euros.