Comprehensive assessment of the level of air pollution

The paper discusses methodological problems concerning the integral assessment of atmospheric air pollution. An approach to a generalized, comprehensive assessment of pollution that takes into account different degrees of harmfulness of pollutants to human beings in case of equivalent violations of standards is introduced. A technique for finding a synthetic comprehensive index, the so-called air pollution index, is described, and practical applications using large lowns in North-Estonia are analyzed.

Technical report: Nordic Green to Scale for countries : Unlocking the potential of climate solutions in the Baltics, Poland and Ukraine

This technical analysis for the Nordic Green to Scale for countries report was commissioned to Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Tallinn Centre. The project zooms in on two regions: the Baltic States, Poland and Ukraine in Europe; and Kenya and Ethiopia in East Africa. This report presents the emission reduction potential of 10 selected solutions for the European target countries. The study highlights the costs, savings and co-benefits of implementing the solutions as well as makes policy recommendations for capturing the potential. The project was carried out by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, together with its partners CICERO, CONCITO and Institute of Sustainability Studies at the University of Iceland. The technical analysis was produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre. The project is part of the Nordic Council of Ministers' Prime Ministers’ Initiative

Thermal Behavior of Estonian Graptolite–Argillite from Different Deposits

Graptolite–argillites (black shales) are studied as potential source of different metals. In the processing technologies of graptolite–argillites, a preceding thermal treatment is often applied. In this study, the thermal behavior of Estonian graptolite–argillite (GA) samples from Toolse, Sillamäe and Pakri areas were studied using a Setaram Labsys Evo 1600 thermoanalyzer coupled with the Pfeiffer OmniStar Mass Spectrometer. The products of thermal treatment were studied by XRD, FTIR, and SEM analytical methods. The experiments were carried out under non-isothermal conditions of up to 1200 °C at different heating rates in the atmosphere containing 79% Ar and 21% O2. The differential isoconversional Friedman method was applied for calculating the kinetic parameters. All studied GA samples are characterized with high content of orthoclase (between 38.0 and 57.3%) and quartz (between 23.8 and 35.5%), and with lower content of muscovite, jarosite, pyrite, etc. The content of organic carbon in GA samples studied varied between 7.3 and 14.2%. The results indicated that, up to 200 °C, the emission of hygroscopic and physically bound water takes place. Between 200 °C and 500–550 °C, this is followed by thermo-oxidative decomposition of organic matter. The first step of thermo-oxidation of pyrite with the emission of water, carbon and sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and different hydrocarbon fragments indicated the complicated composition of organic matter. At higher temperatures, between 550 °C and 900 °C, the transformations continued by dehydroxylation processes in clay minerals, and the decomposition of jarosite and carbonates took place. At temperatures above 1000–1050 °C, a slow increase in the emission of sulphur dioxide followed, indicating the beginning of the second step of thermo-oxidative decomposition of pyrite, which was not completed for temperatures of up to 1000 °C. Kinetic calculations prove the complicated mechanism of thermal decomposition of GA samples: for Pakri GA samples, it occurs in two steps, and for Silllamäe and Toolse GA samples, it occurs in three steps. Preliminary tests for the estimation of the influence of pre-roasting of GA samples on the solubility of different elements contained in GA at the following leaching in sulphuric acid is based on Toolse GA sample

Biogaasi tootmise ja kasutamise pilootuuring Lääne-Virumaal

vokMTT Viestintä- ja informaatioryhm

Biogaasi tootmise ja kasutamise pilootuuring Harjumaal

vokMTT Viestintä- ja informaatioryhm

From Waste to Traffic Fuel (W-Fuel)

The EU directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (Directive 2009/28/EC) sets a mandatory minimum target for the use of fuels produced using renewable energy sources of 10% of total petrol and diesel consumption in the transport sector by the year 2020. In addition, it states that production of renewable fuels should be consistent with sustainable development and must not endanger biodiversity. In the INTERREG IVA Southern Finland - Estonia Sub-programme, efforts towards finding solutions to the tasks set by the EU were undertaken in co-operation with Finnish and Estonian researchers. The purpose of the From Waste to Traffic Fuel (W-Fuel) project was to promote the sustainable production and use of biogas using locally-sourced biodegradable waste materials from the food and beverage industry and the agricultural and municipal sectors. The ultimate aim of the project was to upgrade the biogas (produced based on anaerobic digestion of biodegradable wastes, sludge, manure, slurry and energy crops) to biomethane with a methane content similar to natural gas, to be further used as transport fuel with the aim of reducing traffic-borne emissions, in particular CO2. The project combined waste, energy and traffic solutions in order to decrease emissions, costs and the use of materials. Six case areas in southern Finland and northern Estonia were selected. The two case areas in Estonia were the counties of Harju and Lääne-Viru in northern Estonia. The project aimed to promote waste and sludge prevention and to commence biogas production and its subsequent upgrading to biomethane for use as a renewable fuel. The project promoted regional businesses and employment in waste treatment and green energy production. On basis of the gathered data, the biogas potentials and prerequisites of each case county were analysed. Furthermore, the environmental, economic and other regional effects of the different options were compared. By developing research-based feasibility plans, the project partners provided solutions for public and private companies, local governments and research institutes. The project was implemented in close co-operation with municipal waste and sewage companies as well as stakeholders in industry and the agricultural and transport sectors. This report presents the project results for Estonia.vokMTT Viestintä- ja informaatioryhm