What is the idea behind NonHazCity?

NonHazCity project wants to address the small-scale emitters directly and try to reduce the consumption of hazardous substances at the source. Municipalities, small and medium sized enterprises and private households will be addressed by various means, adapted to each specific target polluter with the main goal to prevent hazardous substances ending up in the sewer and, ultimatively, in the Baltic Sea.

NonHazCity project unites 18 partners in the Baltic Sea Region that includes municipalities and regional authorities, research institutions, waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) and a range of associated partners. During the project period partners will identify and prioritize the sources of hazardous substances in the partner cities and contribute to the development of Chemicals Action Plans for cities to help them combat these emissions.

What are we going to do?

Activities in NonHazCity will focus on small and medium sized enterprises and private households who will be shown their hazardous substance emission share, and will learn how to make a better informed choice in order to protect their own health and the environment. The target polluters will be individually shown their possibilities to reduce the consumption of the hazardous substances by tailored substance reduction measures.

Pilot households have a chance to test their immediate environment and to discover what are the hazardous chemicals present in their homes. A public awareness campaign and informational materials will help to reach the wide public.

In NonHazCity the local administrations will be approached in order to establish of the measurement techniques to keep track of emissions in the municipality and to develop the appropriate strategies to phase out hazardous substances. Hazardous substances criteria must be integrated into public procurement practices in every city. The development of a Chemicals Action Plan could be a good example on how a city gradually approaches different institutions and achieves a non-toxic everyday environment.

The cooperation with municipalities will provide possibilities to widely spread information about hazardous chemicals in our daily life! Better informed citizens can make a difference by changing their consumer behaviour towards more environmentally friendly products!

NonHazCity project is a joined effort of 18 partner to demonstrate the possibilities to reduce emissions of priority hazardous substances from small scale emitters that cannot be reached by traditional enforcement techniques.

Project partners:

• City of Stockholm (lead partner)
• City of Västerås
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
• Turku University of Applied Sciences
• Pärnu City Government
• Pärnu Water
• Baltic Environmental Forum Estonia
• Riga City
• Baltic Environmental Forum Latvia
• University of Gdańsk
• Municipality of Gdańsk
• Gdańsk Water Utilities
• Baltic Environmental Forum Lithuania
• Klaipėda regional environmental department
• Kaunas District Municipality
• Šilalė District Municipality
• Institute of Applied Ecology
• Baltic Environmental Forum Germany

Associated municipal entities from Turku, Hamburg and Lübeck.
INFORMATION MATERIALS