RESCUE

– Regional cooperation in oil spill cleanup of Baltic Sea using electrospun materials

RESCUE

Oil spills are one of the most significant sources of marine pollution. This disturbs the delicate balance of marine life and significantly affects the ecosystem by contaminating water resources. According to the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, 709 oil spills were detected by aerial surveillance between 2013 and 2022. The Baltic Sea is one of the busiest ship traffic areas globally, so the risk of oil spill incidents is always high. This necessitates preparedness with appropriate materials for oil-water separation to manage these spills effectively, minimize environmental damage, and ensure a quick response to protect marine ecosystems.

As the challenge is multifaceted, exploring the first step of the solution requires a comprehensive approach that combines the theoretical or fundamental understanding of the structure, deep knowledge of material fabrication, and empirical characterization of material performance. This integrated approach ensures that the electrospun materials are engineered to meet specific needs. Aligned with this, the project seeks to build a collaboration that brings the required expertise together and creates a consensus on feasible pathways to develop and implement an effective oil-water separation solution. Further, based on the identified pathways, the project aims to engage with the external stakeholders in the region that can contribute to the practical realization of these pathways and support the broader adoption of the developed solutions.