The environmental cleanup and further pollution prevention works in the environmental remediation project led by the Freeport of Ventspils Authority, which lasted three years and cost more than five million euros, have been completed. The most extensive environmental cleaning initiative in the region, which was co-funded by a Norwegian financial instrument, has yielded all of the anticipated outcomes.
Numerous significant and resource-intensive tasks have been completed during the project. At the end of 2023, the 302,9 meters long filter-cleaning barrier alongside the coast of the Baltic Sea was installed. This barrier will also keep pollution from spreading farther in the direction of the sea in the future, preventing public health and environmental risks.
On March 28 of this year, the final measurements of the floating layer of oil products, which were planned as part of the project, took place at the rehabilitation facility. One of the primary objectives of the project has been accomplished: the floating layer of oil products has been reduced to the minimum level – one centimeter – over a 2.3-hectare area. This was confirmed by the measurements carried out by the contractor, AS “VentEko”, in the presence of representatives from the Kurzeme Regional Environmental Board and the Freeport of Ventspils Authority.
On April 11, an event was held at the remediation facility, during which all interested parties were shown the location and markings of the established filtering-purifying barrier in nature. While inspecting the rehabilitation area, the guests of the event also had the opportunity to see the monitoring wells installed as part of the post-remediation monitoring system. Additionally, attendees had the chance to become acquainted with the actual implementation of oil product floating layer measurements by removing a sample of water from a monitoring well and confirming that the remediation object was free of pollution.
During the environmental cleanup process, 8,521 cubic meters of oil-contaminated groundwater were pumped out and processed from the contaminated region as part of the environmental cleanup procedure, and 171 cubic meters of liquid hazardous waste were transferred for processing or disposal. The outcomes of the cleanup works will be monitored for a minimum of five years following the project’s conclusion.
The partners “Ventspils High Technology Park” and “International Development Norway AS” are involved in the project being carried out by the Freeport of Ventspils Authority, organizing an informative and educative campaign about climate change to gain international experience in planning similar events and raising public awareness.
The project “Remediation of historically oil-contaminated sites in Ventspils – former NAI “Ūdeka” (Cad. Nr. 27000290133) territory and oil product main pipeline route (Cad. Nr. 27000290007)” is carried out by the Freeport of Ventspils Authority in cooperation with the Norwegian partner – the foundation “International Development Norway AS” and the Latvian partner – the foundation “Ventspils High Technology Park”. Budget of the project: EUR 5,117,000. Co-financing of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism programme (Norway Grants): EUR 4,349,450. The implementation period of the project is from July 1, 2021, to April 30, 2024.
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