ESPOO, Finland, October 1 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080930/323003 )
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 Bjorn Carlson in the autumn 2005.
Further information:
http://www.fortum.com/sustainability
Fortum Corporation Corporate Communications 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
Fortum Corporation, Corporate Communications, 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
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