Title: Towards sustainable waste management in the Baltic Sea region countries: the contribution of universities

Authors: Walter Leal Filho; Jolita Kruopienė; Åsa Stenmarck; Harri Moora

Addresses: Faculty of Life Sciences, Research and Transfer Centre "Applications of Life Sciences", Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Lohbrügger Kirchstraße 65, Hamburg 21033, Germany ' Institute of Environmental Engineering, Kaunas University of Technology, K. Donelaičio g. 20, Kaunas 44239, Lithuania ' IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Box 210 60, 100 31 Stockholm, Sweden ' Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre, Lai 34, 10133 Tallinn, Estonia

Abstract: At present, the Baltic Sea region (BSR) possesses great disparities in the methods used to handle and process waste. While some countries recover most of the waste they produce, a number of other nations are lagging behind. Such disparity needs to be addressed to accommodate a more sustainable solution to waste management issues. The paper discusses how universities together with other research institutions find their prominent role here. A regional project 'RECO Baltic 21-Tech' (partly funded by Baltic Sea Region Program 2007-2013) serves as an example of mutual benefits: universities via professional research and education contribute to a sustainable waste management in the region, at the same time gaining interesting topics for research, possibilities for capacity building and curricula enrichment for students.

Keywords: sustainable waste management; BSR; Baltic Sea region; regional projects; universities; sustainability; sustainable development; research institutions; capacity building; curricula enrichment; research topics; higher education.

DOI: 10.1504/PIE.2015.069847

Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal, 2015 Vol.9 No.1, pp.96 - 108

Received: 21 Feb 2014
Accepted: 02 Mar 2015
Published online: 13 Jun 2015 *

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