The one-year Project Ecoremediation for Environmental Protection and Development of the Una-Sana Canton ended in December 2014 and CETEOR was one of the main consultants on this Project.
Ministry of Construction, Urban Planning and Environmental Protection of the Una-Sana Canton prepared a project titled “Ecoremediation in order to protect the environment and the development of the Una-Sana Canton”. The Project was supported by Environmental Fund of the Federation of BiH and Center for International Development and Cooperation Republic of Slovenia.
The main objectives of proposed project are to determine the environmental situation in USC and identify key environmental issues for which will be suggested concrete proposa
ls for remediation. The goal of the project is also to raise awareness among local people about the value of the environment and sustainable remediation.
The project aims at:
– Development of guidelines for decentralized wastewater treatment, water resources protection, prevention of non-point pollution sources etc. with ERM measures.
– Demonstration of ERM best practices in selected priority (pilot) areas.
– Increasing environment awareness in the area through demonstration of best practices and integration of ERM approach in education system.
– Identifications of future perspectives for environment protection and restoration in the area and definition of gained economic and social benefits.
– Collaboration with local communities and their inclusion in decision making.
– Increased employment in environmental technologies sector which will contribute to increased life standard and living conditions.
Southeast Balkan countries must protect their natural resources in a sustainable way as soon as possible. Due to their long-term and multi-purpose character, ecoremediations represent an opportunity for the region to develop economic activities while keeping natural resources in balance (protection of water resources, air and soil). Sustainable economic policies and, at the same time, protection of natural resources should become the basis for the development of the region. The achievement of environmental objectives, cooperation of stakeholders, including the politics and education, consideration of good ERM practices, all this is a process that may open new development opportunities to the Una-Sana Canton.
A concept of using natural processes and systems for environment protection and restoration on the ecosystem level is termed ecoremediation (ERM). Phytoremediation, bioremediation, mycoremedaiton etc. are functional parts of ERM. ERM are used to protect water resources, streams, rivers, lakes, groundwater, coastal areas, air and soil from pollution. Besides protection ERM are used for remediation of environmental contamination from point (wastewater discharge) and non-point sources (agriculture, traffic) and for restoration of degraded environment (landslides, erosion, eutrophication). They are also appropriate for protecting sensitive areas (e.g. Natura 2000) and for rational water management in dry areas. ERM systems bind CO2 from the atmosphere and are therefore a suitable approach in the time of climate change. Besides this, biomass is produced in ERM systems presenting a sustainable energy source (Istenič et al., 2012).