Recommendations to improve Baltic Sea water quality produced

The WWF and its partners have released a list of seven suggestions that could help to improve the water quality in the Baltic Sea.

Banning the use of phosphates in detergents, preventing eel fishing until stocks have recovered and ratifying the Ballast Water Convention are among the recommendations put forward that would improve water quality in the short term, the organisation stated.

Helsinki is due to host a summit later this week, which will bring heads of state from countries with borders on the Baltic Sea and companies operating in the area together to discuss the pollution problems.

Mats Abrahamsson, director of the WWF Baltic Ecoregion Programme, commented: "Good ambitions and bold commitments are very important, but words need to be followed by concrete action to a greater extent than today if we are to see any actual improvements."

Earlier this week, reports in Sweden emerged alleging that Russia had dumped nuclear waste in the Baltic Sea in the early 1990s.

Posted by Lauren Steadman