International Seminar on Cross-Border Technologies

In PetrSU, within the framework of the Karelia Cross-Border Cooperation Program, an international seminar “Waste or valuable raw materials?” Was held, dedicated to cross-border technologies and innovations, as well as the environmental safety of cross-border cooperation between Finland and Russia.
The seminar was held within the framework of the Karelia CBC Program .

The organizers of the seminar are the Kajaani University of Applied Sciences and Petrozavodsk State University.

Vice-rector for educational and social work of PetrSU V.K. Katarov greeted the participants of the seminar and noted the high importance of the topic of the event.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Republic of Karelia and the Ministry of the Environment of Finland were invited to the opening of the seminar, which determined the legal aspects of waste management, the current situation, regional perspectives in the field of waste management.

Seminar topics were divided into 2 main areas: waste management and wastewater treatment systems.

Marko Ruokangas, as a representative of the Karelia Cross-Border Cooperation Program, informed the participants of the seminar about the goals and objectives of cross-border cooperation projects and assessed the prospects for a new competition in 2021-2027.

Representative of Avtospetstrans LLC M.A. Romanenko spoke about the problems of improving the waste management system in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Mauri Saastomoinen from the Entrinki Recycling Center presented Finland’s experience in finding workable and efficient recycling solutions.

Anu Koskela, representative of the regional Finnish waste management operator Ekokymppi, shared her experience in educating the public on waste management: she described the educational point of view of the company, demonstrated the benefits of cooperation with the company, and outlined positive prospects for the company’s development.

One of the co-founders of EcoCenter “Sborka” (Moscow) Sergey Tushev shared his experience of creative solutions to waste management problems. He described the organization of waste collection and disposal, demonstrated the introduction of a system of incentives for the population, a huge educational work.

PetrSU activists took part in the seminar and described the experience of environmental activists in the Karelian region – M. Dochinets spoke.

Further reports were devoted to wastewater treatment and wastewater sludge treatment. The first presentation on this topic was presented by Mikko Ahokas from Macon on the topic “Examples of new technologies for wastewater treatment”.

Janne Ekholm from Sauter Biogas Finland spoke about biogas technologies .

Harri Kohonen of Valmet Automation Oy described a long history of work in the field of automation and methods for minimizing the formation of sewage sludge during its processing, including the use of microwave technology for treating sewage sludge at high pressure.

Also, the director of the Petrozavodsk company PKS-Vodokanal JSC, V.V. Ostapchuk.

The review of the current project for the treatment of sewage sludge KA 4020 was carried out by the teacher of PetrSU E.O. Grafova.

Also, within the framework of cooperation with the Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, the progress of the current environmental projects KA 10013 SUSWAM, KA11000 REMAC, KA10020 PeatStop was highlighted.

At the end of the seminar, V.I. Gorbunova from Karelvodokanal LLC (Sortavala) shared her experience of participation in international projects, which allowed the Sortavala region to be a district that solves communal problems at a high level.