Final report final public

” Baltic info campaign on hazardous substances (BaltInfoHaz)” LIFE+ Project Number: LIFE10 INF/EE/108 FINAL REPORT PUBLIC VERSION

LIFE Project Number

LIFE10 INF/EE/108 FINAL Report Public Version of the FINAL Project Report Covering the project activities from 01/10/2011 to 30/09/2015 Reporting Date

15/03/2016 LIFE+ PROJECT NAME or Acronym

Baltic info campaign on hazardous substances (BaltInfoHaz) Project Data Project location

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Project start date:

01/10/2011

Project end date:

31/03/2015 Extension date: 30/09/2015

Total Project duration (in months)

42 months ( including Extension of 06 months)

Total budget

1 683 396 €

Total eligible budget

1 669 146 €

EU contribution:

834 573 €

(%) of total costs

49,57%

(%) of eligible costs

50%

Beneficiary Data Name Beneficiary

MTÜ Balti Keskkonnafoorum

Contact person

Ms Kai Klein

Postal address

Liimi 1, 10621 Tallinn, Estonia

Visit address

Liimi 1, 10621 Tallinn, Estonia

Telephone

+372 6597 027, +372 53 338 572

Fax:

n.a

E-mail

Kai.klein@bef.ee

Project Website

www.thinkbefore.eu

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1. List of contents

1. List of contents .................................................................................................................. 3 2. Executive Summary ........................................................................................................... 4 3. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 9 4. Administrative part ......................................................................................................... 11 5. Technical part....................................................................................................................... 12 5.1. Technical progress, per task .......................................................................................... 12 5.1.1. Action A: Project management and monitoring .................................................... 12 5.1.2. Action B: Preparatory actions ................................................................................ 15 5.1.3. Action C: Awareness raising campaigns ................................................................. 18 5.1.4. Action D: Training activities.................................................................................... 35 5.1.5. Action E: Monitoring of the project impact on the main target audience and on the environmental problem targeted .............................................................................. 40 5.2 Dissemination actions .................................................................................................... 42 5.2.1 Objectives ................................................................................................................ 42 5.2.2 Dissemination: overview per activity ...................................................................... 42 5.2.3 Table of visibility outputs from project actions including quantification and evaluation of objectives achieved .................................................................................... 47 5.3 Evaluation of Project Implementation ........................................................................... 50 5.4 Analysis of long-term benefits ....................................................................................... 65 6. Comments on the financial report .................................................................................. 69

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2. Executive Summary Project history, aims and target groups The project „Baltic Info Campaign on Hazardous Substances”, in short “BaltInfoHaz”, has been the first LIFE+ Information & Communication project granted to the Baltic States aiming at public awareness raising and consumers’ behaviour change.

Baltic Environmental Forum (BEF), the project developer and leader, based its application on its longyears’ experience with many aspects of hazardous substance and chemicals management issues in the three Baltic States. The BEF discovered a fundamental lack of basic understanding and awareness in the society about these substances and their impacts on the environment and human health which constitutes a main barrier for a successful implementation of EU chemicals policies. The hypothesis of BaltInfoHaz was: “If awareness can be stimulated and knowledge gaps closed, fewer substances will be used and less pollution from these substances received by the environment.”

Thus, BaltInfoHaz started in November 2011 with the main aim to initiate a stronger demand for products that are free of hazardous substances in the three Baltic States. The project wanted to impact the consumers’ behaviour with its campaign called “Think before you buy – choose products with less hazardous substances”. The campaign addressed different society groups, in particular young families with children, women and pupils. Those groups were found most sensitive to the project’s messages. It also addressed professional stakeholder groups, such as hairdressers, car care facilities, construction retailer shops and young teachers with a special role in the chemicals’ supply chain as multipliers of information or potential influencers regarding the choice of products. Policy makers in the three Baltic States were addressed to make them more susceptible for restrictions on hazardous substances that are currently being discussed at international chemicals management fora.

The BaltInfoHaz hazard communication concept Due to the fact that no similar campaign has been implemented in the Baltic States earlier, the project team had to start with some conceptual work, defining the exact scope of its campaigns and the messages about “hazards”. Networking with international chemicals campaigns (e.g. “DETOX”, “Nesting”, etc.) and international NGOs acting in this field was important. The help of the Dutch partner NGO WECF (“Women in Europe for a Common Future”) turned out to be crucial and provided good inspiration for the campaign.

The BaltInfoHaz team defined the term “hazardous substances” for its communication as being “substances which could cause harm to human health and environment; they may cause acute hazards to humans (e.g. be toxic, cause allergies or irritate the skin) or have negative impact in the long run (e.g. development of cancer, fertility problems, damaging immune system)”. The campaigns focused on toxic, persistent and bio-accumulative substances which are of very high concern at European level (defined by the REACH regulation as “substances of very high concern” (SVHC)) because they may damage human health and the environment.

The project team has linked certain chemicals products and articles to certain target groups having in mind that the target groups can only be addressed by messages related to product types instead of specific hazardous substances, the latter being “invisible” to the consumer. A charismatic motto accompanied the campaigns: “Think before you buy – choose products with less hazardous substances” emphasising the possible “choice” of less harmful products, the request for information about a product, the reflection on its use, and the aim of reducing hazardous substances.

The campaigns BaltInfoHaz consisted of several campaigns addressing different target groups and different chemicals products and articles. The main idea was to identify products and articles which a) could be examined for their hazardous substance ingredients by their label, b) were common on the Baltic market and c) for whom an alternative product was available. The latter was a major barrier especially at the beginning of the project in 2011/2012 when available alternatives were still rare.

During the last two years an increase of eco-labelled products has been observed.

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 The public in general, young families in particular The aim of this campaign was to inform the general public about certain hazardous substances, their properties and use in every day’s life. Specific attention was given to issues related to child care, toys, child cosmetics, textiles, but also to nurseries in general.

The target groups were addressed by a large variety of information materials published in different media channels (TV documentary and talk shows, radio, print media) and on the street (large posters e.g. at bus stop panels), but also by direct face-to-face contacts: the BEF team has carried out nearly hundred events with more than 3700 participants – in the capitals, in smaller towns and remote regions, with the help of local teachers, newspapers and women’s clubs. Main participants in info days were young parents; huge interest was also received from schools, and elderly people.

Furthermore the phone of the BEF offices has been (and is) highly frequented as info-telephone – ordinary people, professional stakeholders and journalists were (are) calling to ask for concrete purchase advise.

It can be stated that the campaign has alerted the society to ask questions – about products, about ingredients, about use of chemicals. The preferred advice, however, would have been for or against a concrete product, which, of course, the project team never gave. Instead, the team tried to encourage questioners to read labels and use their possibility to choose.  Hairdressers Hairdressers were a very susceptible target group as they are responsible for both purchase and use of the products. Furthermore, they directly notice the product’s impact on their health, with breathing problems and skin allergies being well-known professional health risks. Additionally, their clients are directly affected, too, showing allergic reactions of the scalp, skin and damaged hair or nails. BaltInfoHaz assumed that the target group is easy to be convinced to change behaviour.

However, despite high interest of hairdressers in hazardous substance free products, many of them do not choose their products independently but belong to a chain of cosmetic producers or have framework contracts with the large suppliers; they may not purchase other brands and often an “eco line” is unavailable. Therefore, the project team tried to identify those hairdressers that are independent owners of their salon and also addressed vocational schools for hairdressers, trying to impact the education system: more than 150 students participated in info days and master classes; they received a training handbook, tried out ecological hair tinting lotions in class, and received informative leaflets for distribution among clients. A random check was performed a month after a training course that took place at a supply company of eco-labelled hair care products. The check indicated that the supplier acquired several new customers from the Baltic States. During the project’s lifetime 15 voluntary agreements were signed by hairdressers who declared to take concrete action.  Car care facilities Despite a multitude of information activities by the project team car repair facilities remained the only resistant target group of the project: unlike the hairdressers and their clients, car repair workers do not face traceable health impacts in their work (garages are mostly well-ventilated), their facilities may require an environmental permit, however, due their small size and lack of institutional capacities of controlling institutions, the inspection pressure is very low; the professional products rarely come into contact with customers.

BaltInfoHaz was seeking for contacts to larger groups of the stakeholders such as city bus transport companies, taxi enterprises and car dealers with their repair services. The project team organized several info days and provided leaflets for professional users and their clients. The info days, targeted both at working professionals and the young specialists still studying, were rather well attended so the project assumes that the information and knowledge level has been raised.

However, no direct voluntary agreement regarding a changed use of car valeting products could be achieved. Benchmarking with international actors via the partner WECF showed that also in other countries, the target group is hesitant in recognising hazardous substances as issue in their working environment.  Construction material retailers

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The stores of the K-Rauta chain were partners of BaltInfoHaz in Estonia and Latvia. K-Rauta belongs to the Finnish Rautakesko group and possesses a market share of approx. 20% in the construction retailers business in both countries. The cooperation intended to a) stimulate the demand of customers for eco-labelled construction materials, b) research the abundance of SVHC substances in K-Rauta products and c) educate the shop assistants. It was the company’s goal to increase the environmental performance of its assortment, but they expressed doubts about the market demand and the clients’ reaction. In BaltInfoHaz the assortment of the paint and varnishes segment was analysed for hazardous substance content. Those items which fulfilled the criteria of “non-SVHC products” were assigned a special label indicating “safer choice” around the price tag. Advertisement and information was published regularly in the company’s mailings and catalogues. Notice boards with take-away flyers were placed near the relevant shelves and the shop assistants were explaining the campaign pro-actively. The training of the shop assistants covered all 16 K-Rauta shops throughout Latvia and Estonia, where 94 shop assistants of the paint section were trained. After 1.5 years of campaigning, the level of knowledge of shop assistants was found to be much higher compared to an analogue survey prior to the training courses. After the campaign the project team analysed the sales data and noted a significant difference in the increase of sales between the pricetagged and non-price tagged product groups. Clients reacted positively on the increase of ecolabelled paints available at K-Rauta stores. The company has sufficient knowledge to continue in this direction. Their clients showed an interest, the market has been alerted.  Young teachers The main aim of this campaign was to reach the target audience “pupils” and change their thinking and shopping habits related to hazardous substances via special lessons in schools. This particular campaign was designed for three audiences: pupils, student teachers and acting teachers in order to reach the full target audience.

The project partners Tallinn University and Liepaja University helped BaltInfoHaz with their practical experience in this campaign, especially in developing a comprehensive training handbook on hazardous substances for all school grades. The handbook consists of information about chemicals in every day’s life, their negative effects on human health and the environment, properties of chemicals, product groups (household chemicals, electronic products, cosmetics and construction materials) and advice how to avoid exposure to hazardous chemicals. It also contains instructions for lessons, teaching methods and a set of practical exercises. It became a part of the curriculum of the institutes.

During BaltInfoHaz 175 - 200 young teachers participated in pilot courses and approximately 3500 4000 pupils have been reached with the campaign. Their knowledge increase has been tested in small exams, parents were asked to respond and the issue of hazardous substances in every day’s life has been carried and multiplied via the pupils to their homes.  Policy makers and politicians BaltInfoHaz addressed with this particular campaign not only politicians and parliamentarians, but also experts in ministries and sub-ordinate institutions dealing with issues related to hazardous substances and involved in international or national policy making. BaltInfoHaz wanted decision makers to hear the project’s messages and to show them the public demand for restriction of certain substances and for support of environmentally friendly products.

The project took up ongoing initiatives for reviewing regulations on hazardous substances: the review of the “EC Community strategy on endocrine disruptors” was backstopped with thematic round tables. The revisions of the HELCOM BSAP hazardous substance chapter and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) was supported by the project’s reports on tests for PBDEs, PFOA, PFOS in the blood of volunteers and in dust. The project team tested the implementation of REACH Article 33 (“the right to know”) by formal questioning of different retailer chains asking for information on ingredients. Conclusion: with few exceptions no awareness, no willingness, no capability to implement this principle.

The national authorities in charge of hazardous substance management in the Baltic States considered the BaltInfoHaz team as a partner for public information and awareness raising, for stakeholders’ capacity building, but also as source of evidence on gaps in knowledge, substance occurrence and management deficits.

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The communication successes of the campaigns BaltInfoHaz was extremely successful in its communication and visibility efforts – the campaigns addressed a huge knowledge gap at the right moment. The project’s impact was fostered by the fact that no other actors were active at the time of project implementation.

In countries as small as the Baltic States direct communication with the target audience is possible – and contributed to the success: the BEF team has been visible and experienced as available for questions and concerns in 104 events all over the countries and a direct phone service of its offices.

TV, radio, print media and Internet covered the campaigns: at project closure, 471 publications were tracked in different media, ranging from the top national Internet portals to small local newspapers: 49 TV reportages, 39 radio reportages, 98 articles in printed media (newspapers, magazines) and 285 articles on Internet (portals, websites, blogs). Blood testing was the most prominent topic with 19% of total publicity, followed by cosmetics (13%) and household chemicals (10%).

Huge street posters have been placed in the major cities at advertising screens – supported by the company “JCDecaux” which provided free advertising space to BaltInfoHaz as part of its continuous support for non-profit organisations; the teddy bear symbol asking “Are your kids toys really safe?” at Tallinn bus stops during Christmas time caused a lot of reactions by the inhabitants.

The project website “thinkbefore.eu” gave a wide range of information and addressed people directly - the huge number of clicks proves the success of this approach. The project’s corporate design, the logo and its slogans, has been perceived as effective. The huge set of information materials provided consistent information and linked all campaigns. The material was developed in different size, different levels of complexity and using different media. This was an excellent approach to pass the selected messages and thematic focusses to the different target groups.

The project also succeeded in getting a few celebrities and important persons to visit its campaigns – one of them EU Environmental Commissioner Karmenu Vella, a construction engineer by education, who visited one of the partner K-Rauta stores and bought a can of paint, advised by a shop assistant who had attended the BaltInfoHaz trainings. The event was broadcasted in a TV documentary at prime time in Latvia.

The most prominent outputs and deliverables of BaltInfoHaz  Test your environment In order to prove that hazardous substances in different goods can be traced in the consumer’s body a series of different testing activities were implemented throughout the Baltic countries. The tests were targeting different products such as toys, cosmetics, soft-plastic and wooden-based items, renovation materials, but also indoor air and dust in private houses, and, finally at the blood of volunteers.

In most of tests the target substances were found in different concentrations. Some of the tests showed hazardous substance concentrations above the allowed values, but mostly the concentrations were low. However, the tests proved that one can find hazardous substances in people’s blood, in indoor air and dust at homes and in a variety of consumer goods and products.  Video clips BaltInfoHaz partner VFS Films, well-experienced in producing documentaries, project films and also the first environmental broadcasting in Latvia, faced a real challenge for its contribution: how was BaltInfoHaz to accompany the campaign and make the invisible visible?

After several drafts (drawings, pictures, photo shoots) were presented to the project partners, the consortium decided for 20 animated clips without text - a humoristic visualisation of impacts caused by hazardous chemicals followed by the laconically narrated sentence “think before you buy – choose products with less hazardous substances”.

Additionally, three informative short films were produced, involving professional actors, telling real stories and using black humour. They are mainly targeted at the younger audience and are meant to be an integrated part of the teaching toolkit produced by the project.

Films and clips are available at the project website and have been distributed and shown at events, in TV and many other occasions. They are communicated also via the social media channels actively.

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 Website thinkbefore.eu The www.thinkbefore.eu website was more than a classical project website – it was a campaign tool addressing the target groups directly with information supporting change of consumption behaviour besides information about the project. Originally planned with 9000 visitors the website became a striking success: 97 791 visitors were counted, far more than ever expected. Website visits increased notably after distinguished events, e. g. news from “test your environment”-actions or TV presence of the project team. Its content was attested an excellent quality though sometimes some technical obstacles were noticed. Next to the online content all printed information materials are downloadable from the website.  Info materials BaltInfoHaz has produced a large number of information materials in form of print materials as well as electronic documents. Each campaign produced outputs that were targeted at a specific audience.

Most of the brochures were distributed right away, even some reprints had to be made. Posters and info stands will be stored and re-used wherever possible.

The impacts of the project The overall result of all campaigns has been evaluated as very successful regarding their potential to change behaviour – the overall information and awareness level on hazardous substances has raised among the population of the three Baltic States: during the project lifetime, Eurobarometer had its standard opinion polls among European Citizens (2011, before BaltInfoHaz and 2014, during the campaigns) in which also questions with regard to people’s concern and awareness about hazardous substances in their daily life were posed. The concern of Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian respondents showed a proportionally higher increase than from other EU countries– BaltInfoHaz claims this trend to be a result of its campaigns.

An in-depth analysis of the impacts of the project has been carried out as part of the internal project evaluation and a comprehensive report is published at the project website. In short, the project can state that the campaigns were successful also in terms of quantification of the impacts – on the target group and the environmental problem it addressed, although on a very small and local scale.

Even if the impact of small scale campaign actions is difficult to link to a direct impact on the environment, the project team concluded that the positive results of the campaigns would positively correlate with a decrease of emission of hazardous substances to the environment if it was possible to replicate them on a larger scale.

Continuation and Replication of the Campaign BaltInfoHaz provided a lot of valuable information materials and the BEF offices have been recognised as information source on hazardous substances in consumer goods in the Baltic States.

A daughter project has been developed for Belarus funded by EuropeAid 2013 – 2015 and called “BelHazCampaign” (http://belhazcampaign.bef.ee/). It has implemented a selection of the BaltInfoHaz activities and adapted the campaign elements to Belarusian circumstances.

The BEF team has succeeded to lift its campaign up to the Baltic Sea Region level: a new project, called “NonHazCity”, has been approved by the INTERREG BSR programme. It aims at a reduction of hazardous substances from urban sources (utilities, municipal entities, small services, craft shops and the inhabitants of various towns). The partners from Sweden, Finland, Poland and Germany find the “Think before you buy”-campaign appealing and agreed to use it and transfer it into their languages.

Project management BaltInfoHaz, although having acted in three countries by eight partners, was well organised in terms of project management and administration and did not face major obstacles for reaching its objectives. The partnership was built from NGOs, educational institutions, retailer companies and a film studio. The campaigns were led transnationally, but implemented locally according to the target groups’ needs and in the national languages. The project was prolonged by half a year to give more time for the campaign actions using the summer season 2015 (construction material sales season) and to implement a few add-up activities verifying the findings, i.e. product tests.

In total, 94% of the planned costs have been spent.

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3. Introduction The overall goal of the project was to initiate a stronger demand at the society in the three Baltic States for products free of hazardous substances. The project wanted to impact the society’s behaviour to assist changing it from environmentally passive to active participation in environment.

The project also wanted to improve the health protection from hazardous substances by changing consumption patterns at pilot stakeholder groups. The project communicated these demands to policy makers at national and international level.

The specific objectives of BaltInfoHaz were:  to inform the society about substances that are considered hazardous at the European Union (EU) and national level, why they are considered hazardous, in which products on the market they occur and where such products are used in everyday life;  to raise the awareness of a few selected (especially sensitive or concerned) target audiences about products they use with the aim to change their consumption patterns;  to elaborate and publish easily understandable information materials about potential impacts from hazardous substances to human health and environment targeted to the information needs of the particular stakeholder group;  to develop other tools for communicating to the different target audiences such as interactive games, web competitions etc. and test/implement them during the project duration with the aim at addressing target groups in an attractive and interactive way;  to introduce possible reduction measures of hazardous substances to target audiences, the responsibilities regarding the implementation, and the way to put the measures into practice;  to influence the mindset of the society by cooperating with educational institutions with the aim of integrating information on hazardous substances into school programmes;  to address media and provide journalists with background information about the substances of concern and their impacts on the environment aiming at wider broadcasting;  to encourage non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from the Baltic States to take more active part at international fora where hazardous substance policies are negotiated and elaborated (EU working group on REACH or Stockholm Convention meetings, HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) revisions etc);  to influence policy making through actions demanding stronger hazardous substance reduction measures within the Baltic Sea Strategy and at the EU level.

BaltInfoHaz consisted of five main campaigns, which were to a certain extent implemented simultaneously in all three Baltic States or in some of the countries only, and of three supporting campaigns. Our campaigns focused especially on toxic, persistent and bio-cumulative substances which are of very high concern due to their potential to damage humans and the environment, e.g. some polybrominated flame-retardants, polyfluorinated substances used to provide stain resistance of anti-stick properties, such preservatives as parabens.

The main campaigns were: - Encouraging hazardous substance-free living environment (action C1), which was implemented in all three Baltic States. It was targeted to general public (especially young mothers, families). Campaign consisted of various information materials to the target group, info days and self-declarations, - Many small enterprises produce recognizable emissions of hazardous substances – awareness campaign at car repair shops and hairdressers (action C2), which was implemented mainly in Estonia and Latvia with some activities also in Lithuania. The campaign addressed two very specific professional users of chemicals and consisted of information materials to the target groups, trainings and motivation for self-commitments.

- Reducing the impact of hazardous substances from construction materials – awareness campaign at retail stores (action C3), which was implemented in Estonia and Latvia. The

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campaign helped consumers to choose products with less hazardous substances by marking selected products with a label “safer choice”.

- Get the youth aware and motivated to change their consumption patterns (action C4), which was implemented in Estonia and Latvia. The campaign concentrated on future teachers and school pupils. Essential product of the campaign was the teacher´s handbook about hazardous substances together with methodologies how to teach this subject in schools.

- Lobbying the integration of hazardous substance reduction measures (action C5), which was implemented in all three Baltic States. The campaign concentrated on policy makers in all project target countries and pointed out issues to be taken into account when drafting and implementing the relevant chemicals legislation. Several round tables as well information materials helped to achieve the set goal.

The campaigns were supported by getting proofs of hazardous substances in the environment around us (One-off action: you’re your environment and body, action C7), by active and regular media work (action C6) and producing visual and attractive video material (making the “invisible” visible: video clips, action C8).

BaltInfoHaz has surprised its authors, the project team and the supervising authorities in the Baltic States with its great success in reaching of the target group: the quantified indicators set in the proposal for each of the campaigns have been exceeded manifold, the website visitors, for instance, by 10 times (90 000 visits instead 9 000 planned). The only target group that was resistant to the information provided by the campaigns were car repair shops - all other target groups appreciated the information, were eager to get more of it, became more aware about the issue and were found ready to change behaviour.

BaltInfoHaz has been the first campaign targeting hazardous substances in the Baltic States and definitely laid the foundation for further actions.

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4. Administrative part /Excellent Project Management lead to successful project implementation.

Detailed information about activites under this action have been not published in the public version of this report./

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5. Technical part 5.1. Technical progress, per task 5.1.1. Action A: Project management and monitoring The general project management actions are described in chapter 4 of this report. In this chapter the Action A5 – networking with similar (LIFE+) projects and actors in the region - is described.

5.1.1.1. Action A5: Networking with similar (LIFE+) projects and actors in the region The aim of this activity was to activate local NGOs from the three Baltic States and international ones, bring them together in order to discuss achievements in policy development.

The activity started with a visit to a leading international NGO event – Chemicals Working Group meeting of European Environmental Bureau in Brussels in 2012 and continued with several international meetings in each project year.

The project was present in following international events either organised by the project team itself or by well-known international organisations: - 21.-22.03.2012 - Chemicals Working Group meeting of European Environmental Bureau in Brussels, Belgium (3 participants from project consortium) (self-education of project team, more information under chapter 5.1.4) - 21.-23.03.2012 – The XIII Baltic Sea Day in St.Petersburg, Russia (2 participants from project consortium) (networking, distributing materials); - 17.-21.09.2012 – SAICM’s 3rd International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM3) in Nairobi, Kenya (3 participants from project consortium) (self-education of project team, more information under chapter 5.1.4); - 20.-22.03.2013 – The XIV Baltic Sea Day took place in St. Petersburg, Russia (2 participants from project consortium) (networking, distributing materials); - 05.-06.09.2013 - Neighbourhood East Civil Society Facility Networking Event in Tbilisi, Georgia (2 participants from project consortium) (networking, distributing materials); - 19.-21.03.2014 – The XV Baltic Sea Day in St. Petersburg, Russia (project was represented by the BEF Russia office) (networking, distributing materials); - 25.-26.03.2014 – International workshop “Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Other Hazardous Substances in Consumer Goods and Their Impacts to Human Health” (80 participants) in Vilnius, Lithuania (presentations, moderation of group work, networking – organisation of the whole event); - 03.-05.06.2014 – The Green Week 2014 “Circular economy – saving resources, creating jobs” in Brussels, Belgium (1 participant from project consortium), (networking, distributing materials); - 23.-24.04.2015 – Pathways to the future, Education for sustainable development, Tallinn, Estonia (2 participants from the project consortium), (introduction of project results in the conference); - 15.-16.06.2015 – 6th Annual Forum of the European Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) in Jūrmala, Latvia (10 participants from project consortium) (info-stand, networking, distributing materials).

From other LIFE projects closer contacts were made with project “ChildProtect-Life - ChildProtect-Life – Protecting Children's Health from Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (LIFE12 ENV/NL/000833)”. The concerns of the project were somehow similar – protecting our health and environment from

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hazardous substances. Unfortunately the timeschedules of the projects were slightly different and the focus of the BaltInfoHaz project was more national.

Due to the international cooperation and presence in events BEF has been recognised as player in the hazardous substance area also in Russia. In many years we have been participating with different topics in the annual Baltic Sea Day that takes place in March. During the project lifetime we participated two times and third time we had our representative there with our project information.

It is long process of negotiation to get free of charge roundtable to the meeting so that it would also be officially stated in the agenda. In 2012 our expert participated and presented the project in the working group. In 2013 it was originally foreseen that BaltInfoHaz project advisor Heidrun Fammler will moderate the working group on hazardous substances and Mr Valters Toropovs has presentation there. Short before the meeting the agenda was rearranged and the working group was moderated by the local high level scientist and Mr Toropovs had only a statement in the working group about the BaltInfoHaz project. Nevertheless we see these travels as valuable communication and networking assets to the project and also for future as much as Russian politics allows it. The later is also reason why in the last years we have not participated in the Baltic Sea Day in St.Petersburg as NGOs are seen as foreign agents and due to the political developments the focus in Russia has shifted from hazardous substances in everyday products to security related issues and it has taken back step by accusing EU on unsafe chemicals. Also in 2016 the former hazardous substances round table has been fully deceased. We are trying at the moment as result of our previous cooperation to get Russian partners to new NonHazCity project but is seems that no public entity is willing to sign the agreement.

The daughter project BelHazCampaign was applied in 2012 and was funded by EuropeAid programme. That project was led by BEF Estonia and partners were BEF Latvia and two NGOs from Belarus. These NGOs participated in the BaltInfoHaz training activities (action D2) and transferred the achievements and info materials from the BaltInfoHaz project to Belarus. The corporate design of the project was similar to BaltInfoHaz, some BaltiInfoHaz events were enlarged by additional Belarus participants whose participation was financed by the EuropeAid project and the project teams actively exchanged experience. The Belarusian colleagues took as basis the info materials produced in BaltInfoHaz project and adapted them to Belorussian conditions. The experts from Belorussia, as native Russian language speakers, also developed web texts in Russian language for the BaltInfoHaz webpage Russian version. The daughter project was implemented in 2013-2015, it lasted 24 months and has finalised as well. During the BelHazCampaign project its team actively and continuously studied the experience of the team of “mother” project LIFE10INF/EE/108 BaltInfoHaz and took decisions which info materials to reproduce for the Belarusian target audience and how to adapt them. The text of all deliverables produced in LIFE project has been adapted in BelHazCampaign project to Belarusian conditions regarding requirements of legal acts, the behavior and shopping patterns of the population etc. Table 3 gives an overview of all produced publications in BaltInfoHaz project and their counterparts in BelHazCampaign project. The table shows that the materials were adapted to the Belorussian conditions. The new products have reference to the LIFE+ BaltInfoHaz project.

Table 3: Information materials in BaltInfoHaz and BelHazCampaign project

Title of publication in BaltInfoHaz and Adaptation/change to BY conditions; BelHazCampaign projects references Pocket guides (6) : About cosmetics, baby care Text of chapters about requirements in products, construction materials, household relevant legislation was adapted in all pocket chemicals, endocrine disrupting chemicals and toys guides; pocket guides have a reference to original WECF guides (also referred in pocket guides of BaltInfoHaz project) Teacher’s Handbook

Text in all chapters which refers to legislation and several practical exercises, especially for primary school, have been adapted or

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Handbook for hairdressers Brochure about endocrine disrupting chemicals

Video clips

changed Translation to Russian language Practically all the text has been changed or adapted, especially chapters about the impacts of EDCs (examples from BY), where we can find EDCs (examples from BY), references to requirements in legislation The last pages in video clips have been changed and they have a special reference to BelHazCampaign website in BY: www.thinkbefore.by which is hosted by project’s BY partner

The BaltInfoHaz project was contacted by the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (TUKES) that had an internal project to increase stakeholder awareness raising and public information on consumer goods. The deputy director and press officer visited BEF Latvia for benchmarking of ongoing initiatives in their neighbourhood and stated that the BaltInfoHaz project is the best example of really target group connected campaigning. The team of TUKES was interested to utilise BaltInfoHaz materials or to create a similar project themselves and they will implement this ambition now in the new Baltic Sea Region project described below.

The BEF team has succeeded to lift its campaign up to the Baltic Sea Region level: a new project, called “Innovative management solutions for minimizing emissions of hazardous substances from urban areas in the Baltic Sea Region NonHazCity” has been approved by the INTERREG BSR programme. It aims at a reduction of hazardous substances from urban sources (utilities, municipal entities, small services, craft shops and the inhabitants of various towns). The new partners from Sweden, Finland, Poland and Germany find the “Think before you buy”-campaign appealing and agreed to transfer it into their languages. The website “thinkbefore.eu” will be translated into four more languages: Swedish, Finnish, Polish and German. The campaign’s corporate design will be developed further and applied in the whole Baltic Sea Region.

Detailed action report is attached in FR, Annex 7.2.2.1.3.

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5.1.2. Action B: Preparatory actions Preparatory actions were foreseen in the project to help to set joint baseline for all project campaigning activities. Both preparatory actions “In-depth assessment of reduction potential of priority hazardous substances in certain products by public information campaigns (B1)” and “Preparatory works for the campaigns and their tools (B2)” were completed by mid-term report.

5.1.2.1. Action B1: In-depth assessment of reduction potential of priority hazardous substances in certain products by public information campaigns Name of the Deliverable

Deadline

Assessment report on quantities of the target priority substances in the described target product groups on the Baltic market

30.06.2012 (prolonged until 30.09.2012)

Name of the Milestone

Deadline

Assessment on reduction potential of priority hazardous substances in certain products by public information campaigns prepared

30.06.2012 (prolonged until 30.09.2012)

Status Completed 30.09.2012

Status Completed 30.09.2012

Submitted Inception Report, Annex 5.2.1

Submitted Inception Report, Annex 5.2.1

The aim of the project action was to set a baseline for the indicators by assessing how large could be the theoretical reduction potential of emissions from certain hazardous substances by using soft measures such as public information campaigns. Impact assessment has been done based on estimations, calculations and analysis of substance flow patterns.

Project team has had 3 working group meetings – 1st during kick-off meeting in Riga, Latvia on 17.01.2012, 2nd as a separate B1 meeting in Riga, Latvia on 23-24.04.2012 and 3rd during 2nd partners meeting in Riga, Latvia on 23.05.2012. Enormous data and background information compilation was done in frame of the action and at the 3rd meeting final concept and methodology for selected product groups was agreed among all partners. The results were formulated into an assessment report. In the assessment report different sets of approaches for quantification of risk and exposure assessment were used for different product groups as the degree of details of available information was different. For product groups where composition and market research data was available (e.g. construction chemicals) direct calculation and extrapolation was used, whereas for product groups where only potential hazardous components are known from literature studies or previous researches (e.g. toys) more “soft” baseline indicators and assessment were done by, for example, determining awareness level on the problematic issue according to the target group. The report included justification why each target product and substance group was chosen for the project and a baseline assessment of the current situation in the Baltic States was provided.

The assessment report and its results were presented and discussed at a Baltic round table meeting to get feedback on the findings and conclusions. Although in project application it was foreseen that the round table meeting is held within the first 9 months of the project, CB BEF EE asked with the IR to prolong the meeting until autumn 2012 due to the fact that the meeting would have fallen into the summer breaks period and relevant stakeholders would have been unreachable. However, this slight change did not impact other project activities or hinder achieving the goals of the project. The seminar “Assessment of potential product consumption pattern changes and informing the society on safer alternatives” was held in Riga, Latvia on 27 – 28.09.2012. The target audience of the seminar included representatives of health, environment and consumer protection authorities or institutions which deal with consumer products and their control (boards, inspections etc.) and gather respective

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information. All relevant stakeholders from the Baltic States were present and the outcome of the seminar was evaluated successful by all participants.

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action All the activities planned in frame of action B1 were performed within the planned time limits and its approved extension of three months. Deliverables were published according to the revised schedule.

Final progress report by action leader was attached with MR Annex 7.1.2.1.

5.1.2.2. Action B2: Preparatory works for the campaigns and their tools

Name of the Milestone Campaign scenarios including detailed time planning and harmonised concept of project information materials completed

Deadline 30.10.2012

Status Completed 30.10.2012

Submitted Midterm Report Annex 7.1.2.2.

The project campaigns and training actions were addressing different target groups and therefore each of them needed a bit different use of techniques and/or information materials. Several visibility actions aimed at producing specific outputs such as video clips or information boards. The campaign and visibility actions were led by different experts and therefore it was crucial to agree on common visibility and messages of the project as the environmental problem and the objectives were the same: to reduce emissions of hazardous substances. The goal of the project action was to set a common ground and develop harmonised concepts for all project campaigns.

The core team (action leaders of different project actions) was assembled with the aim to agree on product groups that the campaigns will be focusing and to clarify also the target groups. During the project implementation several meetings to discuss the action among the core team took place. It was important to collect background information about hazardous chemicals in products, their adverse environmental and health effects but at the same time also to screen possible alternatives and research previous similar projects.

1st concept meeting was held 12–13.03.2012 in Riga, Latvia. The main goal of the meeting was to discuss selection of common product groups (project focus and target groups); share information about background investigations from each country about product groups and most popular product brands (information from different databases and surveys); discuss campaign message, visual identity and project slogan; discuss the production of information materials and distribute responsibilities among team.

In spring 2012 at 2nd partners meeting, in Riga, Latvia, the common approach for all campaigns was presented by describing all the main elements of each campaign - target audience, target substances and products, environmental and health effects, message, style of campaign and visibility, tools and monitoring of success. Also logo and main message/slogan of the campaign were introduced and agreed among all partners: “Think before you buy. Choose products with less hazardous substances”.

During discussions it was agreed that AB2 BEF LV and AB3 BEF LT carry out focus group interviews to gather additional information about selected target groups. BEF LV as action leader of C3 investigated the level of knowledge and attitude towards problematic hazardous substances in everyday construction materials, assessed people’s readiness to change their purchasing habits and tested project messages, slogan, logo and other visibility tools of C3 campaign to clarify how the information would be perceived and understood. Focus group interviews were carried out in Latvia in November 2012. The information gathered from focus group interviews was taken into account when developing C3 campaign.

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BEF LT as action leader of C1 carried out 2 focus group interviews among young mothers, pregnant women and grandparents. The focus group interviews took place in end of 2012/beginning of 2013.

The information gathered from focus group interviews was taken into account when developing C1 campaign.

The project team agreed that the information elaborated for the 6 guidebooks (Action C1) and the information which was uploaded on project website (Action F1) were the most important templates for different further project information materials. Throughout the project all deliverables bared such similar style and common visibility elements and the core messages were harmonised throughout all actions.

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action All the activities planned in the frame of action B2 were performed within the planned time limits.

Final progress report by action leader was attached with MR Annex 7.1.2.2.

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5.1.3. Action C: Awareness raising campaigns The project main activities were awareness raising campaigns. Actions C1 – C5 were targeted at specific target groups of the project with the aim to inform them about the hazardousness of certain substances in different products and to initiate a change in their consumption patterns. Actions C6, C7 and C8 were supporting activities which helped to implement the five core campaigns in the Baltic States.

5.1.3.1. Action C1: Encouraging hazardous substance-free living environment Name of the Deliverable 6 guidebooks on various topics in Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian and Russian

Deadline 31.07.2012

Status Completed 30.09.2013

Submitted Midterm Report, Annex 7.2.1

Name of the Milestone Articles produced and published

Deadline 30.08.2015

Status Completed 30.08.2015

Submitted Submitted with various reports (see action C6)

The aim of this activity was to bring across the message of hazardousness of certain substances to a wide group of the society (especially young women and families) and initiate a change in the consumption and performance patterns to reduce the exposure and impacts of hazardous substances to the environment, living surrounding and health.

The action was implemented by experts from Baltic Environmental Forum in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The action leader was BEF Lithuania. Action was implemented from the beginning of 2012 until the end of the project in 2015.

Residents of the Baltic States became aware about hazardous chemicals used in the everyday products and in their surroundings, the ways of exposure and impacts of hazardous substances to the environment and their own/children’s/family’s health. The change in buying patterns is reflected in the Eurobarometer surveys. The surveys indicate that residents of the Baltic States are concerned about hazardous substances in products and their impact on the environment and health. More than 60% of Lithuanians (highest score in the EU) and about half of population in Latvia and Estonia are worried about the health impact of chemicals in everyday products. In comparison to the Baltic States, the average level of concern in the European Union is around 40%. This is the 2nd most important environmental concern people in the Baltic countries note right after such issues as the air and water pollution and the growing amount of waste.

A series of targeted information materials - 6 guidebooks on cleaning agents, cosmetics, renovation materials, toys, baby care and endocrine disrupting substances were elaborated and printed. 6x1500 copies in Estonian, 6x1500 copies in Latvian, 6x1500 copies in Lithuanian and 6 x 1500 copies in Russian languages were disseminated. The guidebooks were based on existing experiences and materials of partners WECF and BEF Lithuania. The printed guidebooks were available in BEF offices and were distributed in events held by the project as well in events where project team participated.

The guidebooks were a huge success and were well appreciated by the target audience. All of them were disseminated during project activities (various info days, exhibitions etc.). The guidebooks are also available on the project website.

By the end of the project the project website got more than 80 424 unique visitors and 97 791 visits.

It was foreseen in project application that the website should achieve 3 000 visitors per country – this number was highly exceeded. Thus it seems to be a very highly appreciated communication tool.

Posts and questions on BEF Lithuania Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pagalvok.lt?fref=ts) account were initiated every few days. More than 50 questions were answered. Different blogs that

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write about ecological lifestyle reprinted information from the project Facebook account and webpage.

All project countries have an interactive online tool “Ask the Expert” where visitors can send their questions to project experts. Answers to the posed questions were sent directly to the persons who asked the question. Furthermore our experts answered to many questions also by phone. Relevant and more general questions and answers were also reflected on the webpage.

Intensive direct communication with the target group in a form of series of interactive info days (target group: young families) in national languages was carried out. Even though originally 15 - 20 info days per country in different towns and locations were planned, then at the end the campaign became much bigger - 97 info days were organised (15 in Estonia, 19 in Latvia and 63 in Lithuania), which were attended also by elderly people and environment and health specialists.

At the beginning the events were initiated by the project team but in the course of the project the target groups also requested events at BEF offices and invited BEF experts to their own events. The number of participants at the events varied from a few to hundred as the target group was general public and the events were free of charge. Different participants gathered to the events - general public, families, young women, people involved in consumer protection work, students, teachers, environmental board specialists. Different forms of info days were organized - giving presentations, moderating discussions, making practical exercises in the form of reading product labels and showing a basket of products to the participants and explaining what hazardous substances can be found in products, etc. Most interesting and useful for participants were the practical exercises on how to read product labels and understand the names of ingredients.

More than 2914 participants (in Lithuania 2239, in Latvia 324, in Estonia 351) received information about hazardous substances, products without hazardous substances and environmental impact of hazardous substances. As the Lithuanian BEF project team did not participate actively in the information campaigns for other target groups like hairdressers or retail shops, all their efforts concentrated to the C1 action and this is the reason for such huge number of info days in Lithuania within C1. In Latvia and Estonia more information seminars, e.g. for teachers, hairdressers and retail shops were held within the C2, C3 and C4 actions and a significantly larger target audience was reached there.

Media interest in the topic was very high and the project team has already very generously fulfilled the number of articles foreseen in project application. There are not many specialists in the Baltic States who are able to cooperate with journalists so intensively and on such a wide spectrum of topics. Project experts in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were busy with media work and helped to prepare reliable information on topic of hazardous substances in articles and environment. During project implementation period 392 articles were written about hazardous substances in everyday products and environment (219 articles in Lithuania, 123 articles in Latvia and 50 articles in Estonia) by project team and disseminated via specialized press for young parents, youth, women etc. These articles were also reflected in different internet portals.

Web forums are no longer the main information exchange platform for project target group, this form of information dissemination was changed by social network Facebook account and “Ask the expert” query form on project webpage. However, this change did not have a negative influence on achieving the goal of the project.

It was difficult to convince people to sign the self-commitments as people in the Baltic States are not used to share their personal information publicly and are afraid to sign such documents – possibly a remnant from Soviet times. That is why only 256 (203 in Lithuania and 53 in Estonia) selfcommitments instead of planned 600 were received.

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action All the activities planned in the frame of action C1 were performed within the planned time limits.

Some of the sub-actions started earlier than originally planned (e.g. info days) and some deliverables needed more efforts to be fulfilled in time. The preparation of the guidebooks took longer time than originally expected but the final products were worth the slight delay.

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Detailed action report is attached in PR, Annex 7.2.2.2.1.

5.1.3.2. Action C2: Many small enterprises have recognizable emissions of hazardous substances – Awareness campaign at car repair shops and hairdressers Name of the Deliverable Guidance for hairdressers and car repair shops

Deadline 30.06.2013

Status Completed Hairdressers 31.12.2013 Car repair guidance 31.05.2015 Completed Hairdressers 31.07.2014 Car care 31.05.2015

Leaflets targeted for clients of hair dressers and car repair shop

31.07.201

Name of the Milestone Awareness campaign at car repair shops and hairdressers completed

Deadline 30.08.2015

Status Completed 30.08.2015

Enterprises for voluntary agreements found and agreement signed

30.08.2015

Completed 30.08.2015

Submitted Progress report Annex 7.2.1, Final report Annex 7.3.3.2

Final report Annex 7.3.3.2

Submitted Progress report Annex 7.1.2.2, Final report Anne7.2.2.2.2 Published on the project website

Activities of this action are divided according to the two main target groups –hairdressers and car repair shops. Both actions took place only in Estonia and Latvia.

Hairdressers Activity started with mapping the potential target group and attempting first contacts with respective small enterprises. In Estonia approximately 50 hairdresser saloons were contacted with a brief initial questionnaire in order to find out how many of these small businesses would be in principle interested in learning more about problems highlighted within the project. The positive response rate was about 30%, which can be considered as a good result for the first communication attempt. Similar approach was done in Latvia, with slightly lower rate of positive feedback.

Based on the results from the questioning, it was agreed that also student hairdressers should be involved as a target audience in the project activities. The young professionals are usually more open-minded and what is more important – not yet bound to a certain saloon that usually has a contract with a concrete supplier of cosmetic products that limits their choice, which is often the case for experienced hairdressers. An excellent cooperation was established with Riga Professional Style and Design high school, where 85% of Latvia’s young hairdressers are studying. A complex info day was held for young professionals there in early 2014, introducing not only materials prepared in frame of the project, but also with a guest lecture by Ms Birgit Pesin, an experienced hairdresser form Germany who has over 20 year experience with hair dying with only natural dyes – a practice which is not yet so common in the Baltic States. Over 150 people attended the info day and it received a very positive feedback both from students and the faculty staff. Similar approach was applied in Estonia, where smaller seminars were organized as young hairdressers are a bit more scattered between various professional schools. The general feedback from these events was very positive, with a lot of students and faculty expressing interest in obtaining more information. In

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addition, in 2014 a survey of around 150 professional hairdressers in Latvia (ca 100) and Estonia (ca 50) was carried out to see what the current level of knowledge about more ecological products and hazardous substances in their professional life is. The results indicated that a considerable number of hairdressers have encountered situations when a healthier product choice would have been necessary and that around one third of respondents would be interested in practical demonstrations on how to minimize the risk of hazardous substances to both themselves and their clients. As a result, a second set of events was organized in February 2015 – this time more attention was paid to practical aspects of hair care with less hazardous substances and a master class for more experienced hairdressers and graduating students was carried out. Both in Latvia and in Estonia such master classes were organized (in Latvia for Latvian and Lithuanian hairdressers and in Estonia – for Estonian hairdressers). Prior to the event the information about it was published in one of the biggest Latvian beauty portals www.e-beauty.lv that resulted in maximum attendance (42 persons) possible due to the size of saloon where the events took place. In Estonia the info days were promoted via Union of Hairdressers, by using special Facebook group of hairdressers as well during the Beauty Fair. The feedback of participants later on once again gave positive indications about the change of perception of effectiveness of products with less hazardous substances and readiness of hairdressers to make changes. In fact, a month after the master classes we contacted one of producers and distributors of natural hair dyes in Germany and he informed that at least three new hairdressers from the Baltics have made agreements to receive batches of his products.

With the prolongation of the project also Lithuanian BEF office was interested to implement the action in Lithuania. In Lithuania also Facebook was used to reach the hairdressers as well personal contacts and advertisement on homepage. In Lithuania 2 info days with 8 participants were carried out.

Also voluntary agreements between hairdressers and BEF offices were signed – they were issued in a format that is not legally binding, but in which the hairdresser acknowledges that he/she has been informed about potential risks of hazardous substances in professional hair care products and that they are ready to make safer choices and offer the clients alternatives if they express such a wish. In total 15 agreements were made in all 3 Baltic States – 2 in Estonia, 5 in Latvia and 8 in Lithuania. The saloons/hairdressers with whom the agreements have been made are published in our website under cosmetics section.

As planned, also information materials for hairdressers and their clients were produced. For professional hairdressers a handbook was prepared which gives an overview of labelling elements found on professional cosmetics products, their meaning, tips to pay attention to and as a main part – a list of ingredients to be avoided, if possible, in various groups of professional cosmetics. The selection of these ingredients or substances was done based on a survey of contents of most popular brands of professional cosmetic products available in the Baltic States – all substances in each group of products (e.g. shampoos, dyes, bleaches) were categorized according to their possible negative effects on the human health and the environment and the most hazardous ones were included in the handbook, along with the description of their function in the product and hazard properties.

The material for clients was designed to be as a little triangle stand to be placed in the hairdressing saloons and to be read by customers while waiting. It contains general facts about hair and information on labelling elements on cosmetics that can tell you about wanted and unwanted properties of the products.

Both materials were printed and distributed directly to the hairdressing saloons – both by visiting them and by giving out the materials to hairdressers that visited one of project’s events, e.g. the master classes.

Car repair shops The activities concerning car repair and maintenance professionals were implemented independently from the hairdresser ones, as the target audience was different both by professional specific and perception of the particular topic.

The activity was started similarly as with hairdressers – by mapping the target audience in Estonia and Latvia and making contacts with people working in the industry to determine their specific information needs. It turned out to be a much more difficult target group than initially thought – as

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car repair facilities do not require any kind of environmental permit (therefore no inspections from responsible authorities) and the professional products rarely come into contact with the customer (unlike the case for hairdressers), car repair shop owners and employees are absolutely uninterested in changing their existing products for sake of environmental or health benefits and are not interested to receive such information at all for that matter. Thus, it was decided to focus on stakeholders that are larger by size (and therefore could have corporate strategies that could match project goals) and also have larger impact on the environment (such as car washing facilities).

Contacts with such enterprises were established, starting with Riga municipal public transportation company which operates a car park of over a thousand vehicles and two largest taxi cab companies, also operating several hundreds of vehicles. All three of these companies indicated that in car repairing and maintenance, most important factor is price of chemical goods, then their capability of provide desired technical results and potential negative effects on occupational safety.

Environmental conditions are not considered.

As the next step, nearly all official car dealerships (as they also operate car maintenance facilities) and largest car wash chains in Latvia and Estonia were approached by individual letters, informing about ongoing activities, their aim and a request to consider a proposal of cooperation. The project team offered a free-of-charge consultancy in screening the compositions of currently used chemical products to see if there are any substances that could pose unwanted health or environmental effects. It was assured that all information obtained in frame of such cooperation would be treated as confidential and the results would be only an indication what a company could do. None of approached companies (over 20 in total) replied, even with a declining letter.

In turn of these events, the project team reached a conclusion that this group of stakeholders obviously is not ready for this type of information yet – the lack of motivation and awareness is too great. It must be pointed out that this is not exclusively a problem in the Baltic States – the project partner organisation WECF informed that they had tried similar approach in Germany, just not approaching the car dealers, but directly the producers (most of which are represented also in the Baltics) and the result was essentially the same – even in Germany where general environmental awareness has a lot longer history and is definitely on a higher level.

Nevertheless, it was decided that also this target group must be reached somehow and a similar method as with hairdressers was employed – approaching the young professionals – students in professional schools who are studying to become vehicle mechanics. Also in this case, such approach turned out to be fruitful, as the professional schools were more open to communication than the car maintenance industry. In Latvia, an agreement was reached with Riga State Technical School, where three info days were organized to the young car mechanics. The topics covered typical environmental and health hazards that are encountered in car shops, basic principles in minimizing risks, correct understanding of hazard labelling and choice of safer alternatives. Altogether nearly 40 people visited the info days and the general feedback was very positive. In Estonia a slightly different approach was taken – a single info day for various car care professionals was organized. The topics on why is it important to know about the hazardous chemicals, what substances can cause harm to customers and employees - what substances to avoid in products, how to read the label, how to protect yourself when working with chemicals, etc. were covered including practical work with product samples and their labels – investigation of composition of products, hazard classification pictograms, etc. 14 participants, including representatives from big car dealers, from union of car sales and service business of Estonia and teachers from 4 Estonian special schools (Tallinn, Tartu, Narva, Rakvere) who are preparing the employees for car care. The participation of schools was especially positive because the materials and information they got from the info day will be used in their everyday lessons in their schools as they found the topic very important and worthy to include into programs. Furthermore, there was an agreement that BEF EE will still give special lessons in some schools regarding the topic of HS in car care products.

During the project implementation in spring 2015 in BEF EE one student was working on this topic and started his diploma work on hazardous substances and car care products.

As planned, also two sets of information materials were prepared for both professional and everyday users of car care chemicals in Latvian and Estonian. The content of both materials were carefully prepared based on actual needs of the target audiences – for everyday users the leaflet contains

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information on product safety labelling, safer choices of goods and tips for creating your own car washing products, while the leaflet for professionals focuses on occupational and environmental safety, from hazard pictograms, their meaning and necessary conditions how to handle them to safe disposal possibilities of various types of car care related hazardous waste. All leaflets were distributed to the target audiences by various means, but mostly during info days and other thematic events. They are also available at the project website. In addition an article on the “eco” info portal www.bioneer.ee “Efficient and smart car care” was published, containing recommendations which car care products to choose in shops, which might be the hazardous components in products, how to protect yourself, useful tips for car care.

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action All the activities planned in the frame of action C2 were performed within the planned time limits.

Although the time schedule in general was respected it took a lot of efforts from project team to keep it. There were some delays in finalising the car care guidance and leaflet for customers as in general it was difficult to reach this target group.

Detailed action report is attached in PR, Annex 7.2.2.2.2

5.1.3.3. Action C3: Reducing the impacts of hazardous substances from construction materials – awareness campaign at retail shops Name of the Deliverable Information brochures with different topics for clients at retailer shops Leaflets for mailings to households with information on substances

Deadline 30.11.2012

Status 30.11.2012

Submitted Midterm Report, Annex 7.2.2

30.11.2012

30.11.2012, last mailings by 30.08.2015

Midterm report Annex 7.2.3, Progress report 7.2.2

Name of the Milestone Inventory of products of concern and implementation plan developed how to deal with these products Awareness campaign at retail shops completed All information materials product as take-away are distributed by end of the campaign action

Deadline 30.10.2012

30.08.2015 30.08.2015

Status Completed 30.10.2012, and 30.04.2015 for second round Completed 30.08.2015 Completed 30.08.2015

Submitted Midterm report Annex 7.1.3.3, Final report Annex 7.2.2.2.3 Final report Annex 7.2.2.2.3

The aim of the campaign at retail shops was to stimulate changes on the demand side (customers) as well as on the supply side (retail shop) in order to decrease the amount of hazardous substances coming from construction materials.

In the Baltic States a lot of products containing hazardous substances are sold in the construction material shops, information about product content is mostly ignored by the consumer, the knowledge about the impacts is low and consequently there is no demand towards the retailers to take off certain products from their shelves or to introduce environmentally friendly products. To

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address these points and initiate a change a campaign was carried out that targeted retailers of construction materials. The “K-rauta” shop chain of the Rautakesko Group (legal entities AB8 AS RAUTAKESKO (Latvia) and AB9 Rautakesko AS (Estonia)) were chosen as partner for this action because K-rauta is the biggest shop chain for construction materials in Estonia and Latvia holding 20% of market share in Latvia and in Estonia.

This activity started with visits to K-rauta shops. The aim was to get acquainted with the assortment and to detect whether there are eco-labelled construction and house cleaning products available in their shops. The result was that only eco-labelled cleaning liquids were on sale. Therefore during the 2nd visit the construction materials’ supply was studied in more detail and it was decided that further investigations will be carried out only for indoor building materials as they are most widely used by general, non-professional customers and can cause more serious health problems due to their use. In order to start detailed inventory of products of concern, the partners provided their full assortment list for examination by the experts from BEF (about 500 product names) from their four biggest suppliers (Eskaro, Sadolin, Vivacolor/Tikkurila, RLKR) of interior construction materials such as paints (ceiling, wall, wood, metal etc.), primers and primer paints, fillers, varnishes, glues, specialised cleaning liquids.

Based on that list, safety data sheets (SDS) for all products were requested and collected from partner, suppliers and their internet webpage in order to prepare the initial inventory on products’ composition. In total 260 SDS (SDSs are identical in both countries as the products are mostly the same) were examined thoroughly by the BEF team. As a result a special inventory table was prepared indicating: product type and name, supplier, hazardous substances contained in the product, CAS numbers of substances, concentration of substances in the product, substance and product classification. The completed product inventory of the K-rauta shops’ indoor construction materials has been handed over to the management of the Rautakesko company (AB8 Rautakesko LV and AB9 Rautakesko EE) and is, of course, confidential business information.

When the findings of assortment inventory and some recommendations on alternatives were presented to the retailer’s management in a meeting in their head office in Tallinn on 28.05.2012, the company’s management expressed their environmental concern and informed about readiness to try to introduce more eco-labelled products into their assortment. During that meeting next steps for further work were agreed between BEF Group and Rautakesko (both EE and LV partners) – for example to accompany the launching of eco-labelled products in the construction section by the project information campaign for the customers and training for the relevant shop assistants (paint section to give it a start). Also the need to carefully assess clients’ opinion and choice behaviour was discussed and how to implement it in practice during the launching campaign was discussed and first steps for its realisation were planned.

The assortment inventory was repeated in the beginning of 2014 as we recognized a few products with environmental label having appeared in the shelves that were not present during the initial inventory. After the list of new assortment of products was received from Partner AB8 and AB9 both product lists were compared and new products selected by Partner CB and AB2 to which the “Safer Choice” label was assigned.

For customer awareness raising purposes, the project team decided to elaborate the product inventory further and to develop a special product tag “Safer choice” which would help to quickly identify products with less hazardous substances among other products. The “Safer choice” product tag was (and still is) meant as a stimulus and informative tool for customers to notice the campaign in retail stores. The project experts with assistance from external expert Antonia Reihlen (BEF DE) developed the criteria according to which the “Safer choice” tag was awarded to products. It was agreed to use the EU eco-label “Flower” criteria for indoor paints and varnishes and the Nordic Swan eco-label criteria for adhesives (EU Flower doesn’t have criteria for this product group). As the result 46 products (after the revision in 2014/2015 the number of products was 37, mainly because of the changes in the assortment) for indoor construction works were awarded with safer choice price tag.

Two different leaflets were elaborated for the customers of K-rauta retail shops and for including to regular mailings. Leaflets explained how to choose paints and varnishes with less hazardous

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substances, explained what is the meaning of the “Safer choice” product tag and provided easy tips how to minimize exposure from hazardous substances to our health and to the environment.

Although the aim was at beginning perceived as quite ambitious and unrealistic, the sales data and changes in the assortment showed positive changes in favour of less hazardous products. As concluded in the report „Evaluating the effectiveness of four campaigns in the BaltInfoHaz project”– “There is a significant difference in the increase of sales between the price-tagged and non-price tagged product groups”. If this increase is fully attributable to the BaltInfoHaz campaign cannot be determined or if there are other underlying causes cannot be deducted from the sales figures alone.

Also the fact that the number of eco-labelled paints available at K-rauta shops increased from 5 (May 2013) to 12 (the beginning of Year 2015) is worth mentioning. Of course, it cannot be attributed to the campaign alone; the product strategies of the producers also play a significant role there.

Regardless, the aim to initiate changes at the supplier’s side is fulfilled to some extent.

Rautakesko has taken a general attitude to pay more attention to environmental issues – to think through and communicate to the consumers also the environmental aspects of different products sold in their shops. The hazardous substances are one of the subjects in their environmental list along with wood certificates, climate aspects etc. K-rauta is discussing on corporate level how to communicate the environmental profile in best way to consumers. We admit that it is difficult to get information to corporate homepages where a lot of sections are fixed and cannot be changed in national level so easily. However, the information about “Think before you buy!” can be found on Krauta homepage under relevant renovation section https://www.krauta.ee/ehituspood/siseviimistlus (in Estonian) and https://www.k-rauta.lv/buvmaterialuveikals/apdare (in Latvian).

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action All the activities planned in the frame of action C3 were performed within the planned time limits. It took time to agree with partner Rautakesko on strategies but there were no delays.

Detailed action report is attached in PR, Annex 7.2.2.2.3.

5.1.3.4. Action C4: Get the youth aware and motivated for action to change consumption patterns Name of the Deliverable “Teaching-kit”

Deadline 31.05.2013

“Teaching-kit” in English

31.12.2014

Name of the Milestone Teaching kit developed

Deadline 31.05.2013

Education of young teachers and their implementation campaign at schools implemented twice

30.08.2015

Status Completed 31.05.2014 Completed 30.04.2015

Status Completed 31.05.2014 Completed 30.08.2015

Submitted Progress Report, Annex 7.2.3 Final Report Annex 7.3.3.4

Submitted Progress Report, Annex 7.2.3 Midterm Report Annex 7.1.3.4., Final Report Annex 7.2.2.2.4

Young people were an important target audience of the project. This campaigning activity was targeted towards three levels of target groups: pupils, young teachers (students who are learning in universities to become future teachers) and acting teachers in schools. The main aim of this

25

campaign was to reach the target audience – pupils – and change their thinking and shopping habits related to hazardous substances in selected products via special lessons in schools.

This action started earlier than initially planned in the project application, because during the first discussions at the project kick-off meeting partners TLU and LIEPU introduced actual time schedule of the universities - when students are going to schools for practice - and therefore the foreseen timeline for this activity needed to be adjusted. As the future teachers had practice time at schools mainly in February-March 2013 and 2014 (TLU had also autumn sessions in 2013 and 2014), the development of concept for teachers´ handbook started earlier with the aim of accompanying the future teachers with the teaching kit materials for their first practice lessons at schools in the spring of 2013.

To achieve the aims of the project handbook for teachers was elaborated. The handbook is called: “Think before you buy. Choose products with less hazardous substances”. This is a teacher’s handbook about chemicals around us and hazardous substances in products.

The handbook pdf versions in Estonian, Latvian and English languages are downloadable from the project website and all interested teachers can use the materials for giving the special lessons in schools.

The handbook consists of 3 main parts: Part 1 – Hazardous chemicals and products; Part 2 – Teaching methods, Part 3 – Practical exercises and of Annex 1 – chemicals information sheets (named in the application as “learning cards”) and Annex II – table of ingredients used in products. Handbook is for all school grades, consists of theoretical part and from practical part. The first part gives the theoretical background information about chemicals in our everyday life, describe the negative effects of chemicals and explain how chemicals affect human health and the environment. It gives a short overview about the properties of chemicals, how the management of hazardous chemicals is organized and what are the main control mechanisms of chemicals. It also focuses on product groups – household chemicals, electronic products, cosmetics and construction materials – and explains what hazardous substances can be found in these everyday products and how to avoid exposure to hazardous chemicals and protect our health and the environment. In the end of each chapter there are useful tips and references to practical exercises which teachers could do in the classroom to make the topic more interesting and understandable for pupils. The second part describes different interactive teaching methods for primary and secondary grades and for gymnasium which help to memorise and relate to what has been learned. The third part includes different examples and ideas for discussions, homework and practical tasks which can be used as helpful teaching material to stimulate better understanding of the topic among pupils.

All project partners involved in the action C4 contributed to the content development of the teachers’ handbook. Partner TLU elaborated the teaching methodology chapters for secondary grades and for gymnasium, provided tools and worksheets for practical work in these school grades and did the editing work of handbook. Partner LIEPU wrote the teaching methodology chapters for the primary schools and provided tools and practical worksheets for this grade. The main content and other chapters were written jointly mainly by lead partner BEF EE and by partner BEF LV. The most discussed was the content of chapters “Methods” and “Teaching materials” with practical exercises, these chapters have been updated with a lot of materials and practical worksheets provided by Tallinn and Liepaja Universities. This was also a result of practical implementation of the methods or practical exercises by the students during their practice at schools and given feedback.

The handbook is evaluated as very good and our Lithuanian team is searching for possibilities to translate the handbook into Lithuanian.

Partner universities TLU and LIEPU organized information seminars for future teachers where they gave lectures about hazardous substances in our everyday lives, introduced the project and the teachers’ handbook materials. The students who participated in information seminars were prepared for practice in schools in the frame of their common curriculum. TLU and LIEPU teachers/professors introduced the materials of teacher’s handbook and gave practical advice how to use the teacher’s handbook and especially how to make the topic of hazardous substances in everyday products attractive to school children. Trainings for future teachers and students practice at schools were implemented mainly in two rounds – the 1st round took place in autumn 2012- spring 2013 and the

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2nd round autumn 2013 - spring 2014, but the work was continued and the 3rd round in autumn 2014 – spring 2015 was also carried out.

Students from TLU gave practical lessons at different schools in Estonia, mainly for secondary grades and for gymnasium. Students gave the lessons according to theoretical part from handbook and did also practical exercises during the special lessons. Handbook materials and methodology how to work with handbook were introduced also to Estonian and Latvian acting school teachers during the special meetings or seminars.

Due to legal reasons and in order not to get into trouble with parents and privacy of data, pupil’s mini campaigns were replaced by expanded questionnaires which were used to monitor the impact of the action activities on the target group. The requirements of legal acts in the area of personal data protection didn’t allow to request from pupils for their mini campaign for example the lists of cosmetic products which their parents are using at home. Therefore the questionnaires which were handed out a week after going through the material in schools included such provisions (with answers yes, no or don’t know): 1) I talked to my family and/or friends about HS in everyday products; 2) I told about them to my family and/or friends and I think that my family or friends consider buying different products in the future compared to now; 3) I have read at home or in shop from products’ labels what they contain; 4) I want to use products with less or no HS. There were also special lessons in some schools where pupils could participate with their parents. Actually the parents were very interested in the topic of hazardous substances in everyday products and this enabled us to address also this target group.

The first special lessons based on the teacher´s handbook which was integrated into school’s curriculum started in autumn 2014 in Tallinn Kuristiku Gymnasium and in Tallinn Polytechnic School and continued throughout all school year.

Teacher’s handbook was also introduced to the participants of educational conference „Pathways to the future: education for sustainable development“ in Tallinn in April 2015.

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action All the activities planned in the frame of action C4 were performed within the planned time limits.

This action started earlier than initially planned in the project application, because during first discussions at project kick-off meeting partners TLU and LIEPU introduced actual time schedule of the universities - when students are going to schools for practice - and therefore the foreseen timeline for this activity needed to be adjusted. Although the action started earlier than planned in the application there were delays in uploading the teacher´s handbook due to the fine tuning it with comments from target group. In the end this delay did not hinder the achievement of the objectives of this action.

Detailed action report is attached in PR, Annex 7.2.2.2.4.

5.1.3.5. Action C5: Lobbying the integration of hazardous substance reduction measures into policy making Name of the Deliverable Information leaflets target at policy makers in content and style

Deadline 31.07.2014

Status Completed 31.07.2014 with second leaflet in 31.05.2015

Submitted Progress Report, Annex 7.2.4, Final Report Annex 7.3.3.5

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Name of the Milestone Round tables held with the policy makers and the results of the discussions evaluated positive

Deadline 30.08.2015

Status Completed 30.08.2015

Submitted Progress Report, Annex 7.1.2.5, Final report Annex 7.2.2.2.5

The target groups of this activity were not only politicians in parliaments, but also specialists in ministries and other competent authorities who are dealing with the issues related to hazardous substances and working on international and national policy making. We wanted decision makers to hear our messages and to see that there is a demand for restriction of certain substances or for support of environmentally friendly products. The objectives of the action have been reached.

The active dialogue with policy makers in order to address the results from action C7 campaigns (blood, dust and product tests) and from experiment with REACH Article 33 was initiated. Round table seminars with facilitated discussions were held in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania introducing the endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) problem in products and implementation of REACH Article 33 consumer’s right to know about the substances of very high concern (SVHC) which are included in consumer products. All together 6 round tables were held: 24.04.2014 and 09.06.2015 in Estonia, 21.05.2014 in Latvia, 16.05.2014 and 28.09.2015 in Lithuania and one international round table 26.08.2015 in Riga.

Project team considered also the results of action A5 international seminar „Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Other Hazardous Substances in Consumer Goods and Their Impacts to Human Health” which was held on 25-26 March 2014 in Vilnius and the messages from this seminar were introduced to round table participants.

The European Commission is in the process of reviewing the Community strategy on endocrine disruptors and the relevant criteria for identification of EDCs. The project team decided to introduce and discuss on the first round table seminars the results of action C7 blood, dust, air and products tests and address the EDC issue, because tests focused specifically on endocrine disrupting chemicals - phthalates, polybrominated diphenylethers and perfluorocompounds – and EDCs were found in home dust, in everyday consumer products, as well as in human blood. There is an urgent need for actions and we discussed with relevant authorities and policy makers national strategies and pathways regarding EDCs. Project team from BEF Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian offices was also taken as a dialogue partner for specialists from competent authorities for revisions of HELCOM BSAP hazardous substance chapter and The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants listings.

BEF representatives from the three Baltic countries attended the 6th Annual Forum of the European Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) on 15-16 June 2015 in Jūrmala, Latvia. The information about BaltinfoHaz project, about info campaigns and results of blood, dust, air and products tests with highlighting problematic EDCs were delivered via special poster presentation in Network Village.

The Annual Forum provided an excellent opportunity to discuss with participants common challenges regarding EDCs in consumer products.

Project team from BEF Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian offices contributed to the revision of the HELCOM BSAP hazardous substance chapter and Marine Strategy Framework Directive programme of measures via the active communication with relevant specialists in three Baltic countries who are involved in this area. A lot of tested substances in the project (PBDEs, PFOA, PFOS) are included into the list of hazardous substances of specific concern of HELCOM and also fall under the contaminants of marine environment. Project found them in the blood of volunteers and in indoor dust. The content of hazardous substances in consumer products exceeded in several cases the permitted limits, especially of phthalates. Team introduced the project findings to specialists who attending HELCOM or Marine Strategy meetings. The aim of lobbying was to show a clear need to revise the lists, include more substances of concern, for example some phthalates in HELCOM list, and prevent the pollution caused by human activities.

Several tested substances in the project like PBDEs, PFOA, PFOS are listed under the Stockholm Convention or they are currently under the review. Project found them in the blood of volunteers

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and in dust. These problematic substances and findings were introduced and discussed in round tables with POP specialists. The aim was to give them the information and to discuss the possibilities to make proposals at national level.

Lithuania held the EU presidency in 2013 and Latvia in 2015. This gave a chance to BEF Latvian and Lithuanian offices to assist competent authorities in preparation of presidency by direct communication, highlighting the issue of hazardous substances, reduction of exposure, product policy and consumption patterns. BEFs within their NGO lobby work and during the project round table meetings gave advice and shared information about the results of tests to the specialist who participated also in the meetings in Brussels. The aim was to actively communicate with specialists on the issue of concern - to consider at policy level more restrictions to substances which are suspected to be EDCs. Project BaltInfoHaz and its team within their lobby work shared information and gave concrete advice about the project and experiences made within the project in national and European level.

Best practices from the project were communicated at project events or during individual discussions. National authorities considered project team as a partner because we had a very important role due to the good visibility and awareness raising actions in the project.

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action All the activities planned in the frame of action C5 were performed within the planned time limits.

The action started more actively later compared to other campaign actions because clear messages and reasons were needed for policy makers. The first information leaflet was published in 2014 and second one in 2015 to accompany the relevant discussions (REACH Article 33).

Detailed action report is attached in PR, Annex 7.2.2.2.5.

5.1.3.6. Action C6: Regular media work The aim of this action was to utilise media to reach the objective of the project, which is to reduce the impact from hazardous substances to human health and the environment by stimulating the demand among the society for consumer products free from hazardous substances. Almost half a thousand media articles/reportages proves that the project team had put a lot of efforts to reach the defined aim. The average content of the articles/reportages was dedicated to the problem and solutions and allows evaluating media work as very successful because gained media space (free of charge) was really used to increase the society’s awareness about the hazardous substances and safer choice.

Although general guidelines were given when introducing the concept of media work, each partner used different types of media communication depending on media situation in the country and available co-operation possibilities, i.e. by elaborating and offering ready-to-publish articles on different topics; by disseminating press releases; by reacting on media requests; by organising media events, by initiating themes for the articles etc. No matter what kind of approach was used in each country the main aim of the media work was to get publicity in media.

As a result 471 articles/reportages appeared on different media – from the top national internet portals to small local newspapers.

The division of publicity among different media types is following: - 49 TV reportages; - 39 radio reportages; - 98 articles in printed media (newspapers, magazines); - 285 articles on internet (portals, websites, blogs).

Regarding the main themes covered by the media the leading topic with 19% of total publicity was blood testing, then follows the cosmetics with 13% and household chemicals - with 10%. Articles on

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very wide range of topics – starting from hazardous substances as such and ending with chemicals in recipes - are gathered under category Other, that’s why it has 27% of all articles.

Additionally also social media channels were used to promote the project activities in Estonia (BEF Estonia Facebook page) and Lithuania (BEF Lithuania and special Think Before You Buy Facebook page).

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action All the activities planned in the frame of action C6 were performed within the planned time limits.

Detailed action report is attached in PR, Annex 7.2.2.2.6.

5.1.3.7. Action C7: One-off action: test your environment and body!

Name of the Milestone Labs for the substance sampling are contracted and people have agreed with the testing

Deadline 30.09.2012

Status Completed 30.04.2013

Submitted Midterm report, Annex 7.1.3.7

In the beginning of the project in-depth background research was made on previous campaigns conducted in the European Union. Also information was collected on hazardous substances that can be investigated in blood and are relevant for Baltic States citizens, laboratory tests availability and the need for approval of Bioethical comity in separate countries.

By the end of 2012, volunteers were found in Lithuania and Estonia. The blood testing activity in Latvia was changed into volatile organic compounds testing in indoor air in agreement with the LIFE Unit (Midterm report and the letter from EC on 29.01.2014) as blood testing was conducted in frame of a WWF action in 2011in Latvia. Bioethical approval for blood testing in Lithuania and Estonia was received in the beginning of 2013. Volunteers for the campaign were selected by organizing a contest where all who wanted to participate and give blood, test dust or indoor air, had to write a motivational letter. In Lithuania and Estonia more than 200 people expressed their wish to

30

participate in the blood testing activity, In Latvia 60 families expressed their wish to participate in the indoor air testing activity.

10 volunteers were chosen for blood and dust testing in Lithuania, 10 volunteers for blood testing in Estonia and 15 volunteers for indoor air testing in Latvia. All volunteers were met before the testing activity; the project team interviewed them personally and presented the hazardous substance topic.

Also short presentation of hazardous substance topic was made for the whole group of volunteers in each country before the testing activity.

Testing samples were sent to accredited laboratories – national laboratories (products, air) and abroad (blood, dust, products). 7 different laboratories were chosen, because not all of them have methods for those types of samples. Also, such factors as price and competence making similar researches were considered. Blood tests were conducted by the TNO laboratory in the Netherlands (Netherlands Organisation for applied scientific research TNO, www.tno.nl), dust testing were sent to Eurofins laboratory in Sweden (http://www.eurofins.com/), cosmetic product test was carried out by German laboratory PiCA (PiCA Prüfinstitut Chemische Analytik GmbH, http://www.pica-berlin.de/).

Products from Lithuanian market were tested in Lithuania, in National public health care laboratory (www.nvspl.lt). Products from Estonian market were tested in Central Chemical Laboratory of Health Board (http://www.terviseamet.ee/en/laboratories/central-laboratory.html). Indoor air analysis was performed in Latvian laboratory “Vides Audits” (www.videsaudits.lv) and product tests for formaldehyde content in Latvian laboratory “LatSert” (www.latsert.lv), both of which are accredited.

Blood samples were taken in March in Lithuania and in Estonia in April and the results were received in May 2013. The main findings: o All 20 samples contained a cocktail of different hazardous substances. o In total 14 different substances were detected out of 28. o The highest number of chemicals found in a person´s blood was 15, the lowest – 3.

As this investigation was of educative purpose (to draw attention to wide use of hazardous chemicals in consumer products) and the blood sample number was low, so the conclusions about origin of substances, level of concentrations have not been made. One of the main messages is that these substances should not end up in our bodies at all.

The volunteers were personally informed about their blood analysis results and explained how they could enter the body, what to do to avoid increasing the amounts and concentrations of these substances.

It took quite a lot of effort and time to plan how these results should be brought to the public and what are the main messages. Thus the results were introduced in February (in Lithuania) – March (in Estonia) in 2014.

7 samples of dust were taken and analysed. Results were quite similar – the same substances were found in these samples thus it was decided to discuss if other samples should be taken from different environments (e.g. working places, kindergartens).

Main findings of product (toys, cosmetics etc) testing: o In all 9 product groups phthalates were detected; o 16 products contained higher concentrations (>0,1%by weight) and in 25 samples (almost 40%) phthalates were detected; o 6 out of 10 dolls exceeded limit values in toys (0,1% by weight) and will be taken out of market.

In Latvia 15 nurseries were selected from approximately 140 who expressed an interest to participate across Latvia. In cooperation with contracted accredited laboratory Vides audits indoor air samples were collected from all those nurseries. Air samples were tested for specific substances, e.g. formaldehyde, terpenes, hydrocarbons, phthalates. There was a decision to organize repeated air testing in the nurseries with the highest levels of formaldehyde after two months. All the participating in the air testing received testing results and advice how to minimize hazardous substances in their nurseries.

The main findings of the testing: - The air in the nurseries is not satisfactory for children (TVOC level is too high);

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- Three substances/substance groups were above recommended levels: formaldehyde, terpenes and organic solvents.

Taking into account the results of air testing which showed very high levels of formaldehyde in the nurseries the decision was to test wooden-base products (main source of formaldehyde indoors) which could be used in nurseries, e.g. special chairs for kids, floor covering. The aim of the testing was to find out whether there are particular problematic product groups in the stores. The testing method was selected for testing formaldehyde emissions from a product. For that purpose accredited laboratory was contracted.

The following product groups were selected for testing: -

9 different wooden-base construction and finishing materials; 5 different laminates; 5 wooden-base furniture for children - chairs; 4 toys form wooden-base materials – rocking horses; 3 types of carpets for children.

Testing showed that the product group that contained the highest levels of formaldehyde was wooden-base finishing materials – MDF shelves. However, the highest level of formaldehyde was found in one chair for children. One more conclusion of the testing is that the legislation and standardization in this area is not sufficient and therefore interpretation of the results is quite problematic.

In year 2015 there were additional product tests carried out: - in Estonia 11 plastic toys for phthalates and 1 for heavy metals; - in Latvia 25 ethylene vinyl acetate products (e.g. yoga mats) for formamide; - in Lithuania 100 plastic toys for heavy metals detection with X-ray Fluorescence analyser and laboratory testing of 5 of them for heavy metals limits detection in article; - in Lithuania 7 different women sanitary pads for phthalates and volatile organic compounds.

In 12 toys from 100 tested toys heavy metal (lead) traces were detected, 5 of them were sent to laboratory for detection of lead quantity. Legally binding limits were not violated. In women sanitary pads phthalates, formaldehyde and several other volatile organic compounds were tested.

Phthalates (DNOP, DIDP, DINP, DBP, BBP, DEHP) and formaldehyde in women sanitary pads were not found above detection limit. In sanitary pads tested in Lithuania, only acetone and acetonitrile (these substances are irritating) have been detected.

In Latvia in 2015 in cooperation with the Consumer Rights Protection Centre 25 soft plastic ethylenevinylacetate (EVA) articles (10 soft floor puzzles, 5 beach slippers, 10 fitness rugs) were tested for formamide - substance that is toxic for the reproductive system. We did not find any item with the formamide level above the European Union limits which is currently 3000 mg of formamide per kg of product.

In total following analysis were made: blood samples of 20 (10 in EEE and 10 in LT) volunteers for phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and perfluorinated compounds, dust samples from 7 (all in LT) houses for the same substances, 15 (all in LV) indoor air samples from nurseries for volatile organic compounds and 78 (10 in EE, 68 LT) products for phthalates, 36 (LV) wooden articles for formaldehyde, 25 (LV) plastic articles for formamide, 101 (100 LT, 1 EE) toys for heavy metals, 7 (all LT) women sanitary pads for phthalates and volatile organic compounds. In the table 4 is summarised all testings.

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Table4: Test your environment summary of samples and analyses

Country

Estonia

Latvia

Lithuania

Group /blood, Substance products, air, dust/ group Blood Phthalates, PBDE, PFOS Toys Phthalates Heavy metals Indoor air VOC, phthalates Wooden articles Formaldehyde Plastic articles Formamide Blood Phthalates, PBDE, PFOS Dust Phthalates, PBDE, PFOS plastic products Phthalates Cosmetics Phthalates Toys Heavy metals Women sanitary Phthalates, pads VO C

Number of samples 10

Number of substances analysed in each sample 28

10 1 15

6 3 39

36 25 10

1 1 28

7

34

53 15 100 7

5 9 20 35

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action All the activities planned in the frame of action C7 were performed within the planned time limits.

The action was reopened with the project prolongation request and additional activities took place.

The action started with slight delay as to get the approval from the ethical committees was timeconsuming but the delay was caught up in the further activities.

Detailed action report and the report on results are attached in PR, Annex 7.2.2.2.7.

5.1.3.8. Action C8: Making the “invisible� visible: video clips Name of the Deliverable/ Milestone The set of video clips

Deadline 31.12.2013

Status Animated clips 31.12.2013 longer clips 31.05.2014

Submitted Progress Report, Annex 7.2.5, Final report Annex 7.3.3.7 (DVD)

This activity aimed to widen the recognisability of the project through visualising the issue of hazardous substances in the products. The initial concept and ideas discussed during project partner meetings evolved and on the 3rd partners meeting the action leader presented to all partners new concept for video clips and showed first examples.

The concept of the clips is to show typical everyday situations in relation to some popular products and to represent in animated form. In the application it was foreseen to produce 10 animated clips for different target groups, but during the work process it was decided to split the 10 animated clips into smaller sub-clips in the length between 10 to 20 seconds to give more flexibility to end users. In the end 20 animated clips were produced. The produced animated clips are listed in Table 5.

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Table 5: Short animated clips and their topics

Product group Household chemicals

Car Care products

Cosmetics

Children products

Renovation

List of clips 

Dishwashing



Laundry



Window cleaning



Toilet cleaning



Car window cleaning



Car washing



Car salon cleaning



Car shampoo



Deodorant



Shower gel



Lipstick



Sun protection cream



Baby cosmetics



Toys



Face paints



Bath foam



Floor



Wall painting



Painting



Furniture painting

Besides a set of animated clips 3 educational/provocative short films were produced for youth (topics: cosmetics, household chemicals, home renovation) to change their thinking and shopping habits concerning hazardous substances in such products in attractive way. The more concrete the target group we are addressing is, the bigger the chance is of achieving the wished result. If the target group is too general it can be said that nobody is the target group. This is the reason why the short films were made thinking especially of the youth.

The 20 short animated clips and the 3 educational short films are available in Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, English and Russian and are published on our website as well a special DVD was issued.

The videos can also be found in Youtube by using keyword “Think before you buy”. The clips were promoted also via BEF Estonia and BEF Lithuania Facebook pages as well by BEF Latvia Twitter account. The clips were promoted in each possible way – they were used as background in various occasions (events, press gatherings etc.) and showed during event breaks (i.e. coffee breaks).

The short animated clips and the educational/provocative short films have been used during press conferences as well other possibilities (info days, exhibitions etc.). The feedback received has been really positive as they do not follow traditional teaching style clips. They provoke discussion and even though at first they seem over the top – they will be remembered. To trigger a change in behaviour it has to be interesting for the people to do it. The clips by the BaltInfoHaz are memorable and attract viewers to search for more information.

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action All the activities planned in the frame of action C8 were performed within the planned time limits.

The action started with the project start and continued until the end of the project. The making of the clips was completed in 2014 and the last project year was dedicated to usage of the clips in various possibilities.

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5.1.4. Action D: Training activities 5.1.4.1. Action D1: Training of shop assistants Name of the Milestone All courses held for the shop assistants

Deadline 31.05.2015

Status Completed 31.09.2015

Submitted Midterm Report, Annex 7.1.4.1, Final report Annex 7.2.2.3.1

To support the campaign at the retailers shop, the project provided very targeted and small scale trainings to key actors of the campaign: shop assistants at partner AB8 Rautakesko LV and AB9 Rautakesko LV, the salespersons and press officer of the companies. This activity took place only in Estonia and Latvia where shop assistants were successfully trained.

The activity started with target group assessment as foreseen in the project application. CB BEF EE and AB2 BEF LV compiled a questionnaire for the shop assistants and personnel of K-rauta retail shops in order to investigate their awareness on hazardous substances in the products which they sell, their overall knowledge on hazard symbols and eco-labels and to get some feedback whether customers have approached them with specific questions related to hazardous substances in construction materials. In Estonia the questionnaire was sent out electronically and in Latvia the questionnaire was distributed on paper and collected manually by the staff of K-rauta (in total 79 fulfilled questionnaires were collected). Based on the results of target group assessment CB BEF EE and AB2 BEF LV made a concept for the training and in cooperation with partners AB8 Rautakesko LV and AB9 Rautakesko LV a concrete training schedule was agreed.

In the application it was initially foreseen that the training courses are held in three parts, each part focusing different topics related to hazardous substances - health & environmental concerns, HS in products, labelling and safer alternatives. It was assumed that the trainings would be organised centrally by the two headquarters and the participants from all K-rauta shops of the one country would participate in three modules. However, during the working group discussion with AB8 Rautakesko LV and AB9 Rautakesko LV at 2nd partners meeting it became clear that it was technically impossible to organise all K-rauta shop assistants, sales persons and PR officers to such complex trainings, because of their work schedule that would not allow all of them at the same time to be absent. Therefore it was decided that instead of three training modules in each country the experts from CB BEF EE and AB2 BEF LV would travel separately to each K-rauta shop in their country and provide a very targeted and intensive training course for the employees of that particular shop. This change did not in any way affect the overall results of the activity but rather enabled the project team to provide very high quality on-site trainings to the shop assistants. The travel efforts were on the BEF team, costs for larger centrally organised training seminars were saved, the number of events was higher, but they were smaller.

In first round in total 17 trainings were held for K-rauta shop assistants in Estonia and Latvia (December 2012 – February 2013). 8 trainings were carried out in all K-rauta stores in Estonia (6.12.12 Haabersti-Tallinn; 29.01.13 Rakvere; 30.01.13 Tondi-Tallinn; 11.02.13 Tartu; 12.02.13 Valga; 13.02.12 Võru; 20.02.13 Pärnu; 21.02.13 Kuressaare) and in total 43 shop assistants were trained. In 8 trainings in Latvia (16.12.2012; 19.02.2013; 21.02.2013; 27.02.2013; 28.02.2013; 5.03.2013; 6.03.2013; 7.03.2013) in total 45 shop assistants were trained.

In second round in total 5 trainings were held for selected K-rauta stores. The stores in Estonia and Latvia were selected based on the interest shown by K-rauta and where the personnel had been changed. 4 trainings were carried out in selected K-rauta stores in Estonia (22.09.14 Pärnu; 29.09.14 Tartu; 06.05.15 Valga; 06.05.15 Võru;) and in total 13 shop assistants were trained. In Latvia more

35

personal approach was taken and our expert visited the store in Riga and gave personal lecture about hazardous substances.

Overall in Estonia 21 trainings with 56 participants and in Latvia 8 trainings with 45 participants were held. The number of participants exceeded the foreseen number approximately two times.

The training topics involved all necessary issues related to hazardous substances and their occurrence in construction materials. Practical examples from K-Rauta assortment and how to advise on safer alternatives were included; also the criteria for special price tag in the project were introduced. After first round trainings feedback questionnaires were collected from the participants and 100% of them evaluated the trainings to be very useful and interesting. All respondents stated that their knowledge about hazardous substances in products had increased and appreciated the practical part of the trainings where they had to read product labels and understand the information presented in Safety Data Sheets.

The activity has been successfully implemented and the slight delay from initial timeline did not in any way affect reaching the overall goal of the project. Representatives from all K-rauta shops in Estonia and Latvia were trained before the official launch of the C3 campaign and second round was carried out approximately one year later.

In addition, a handbook has been prepared in Latvian (which was not foreseen in the application) for those shop assistants which were unable to participate in the trainings or as a helping tool for all employees in communication with customers on these specific issues. The training materials are included into the training portfolio of the Rautakesko company in Estonia and Latvia.

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action All the activities planned in the frame of action D1 were performed within the planned time limits.

5.1.4.1. Action D2: Training of Baltic NGOs for international lobbying on the HS topic Name of the Milestone Hazardous substances have been discussed at least three times with input from the project NGOs

Deadline 30.06.2014

Status Completed 30.06.2014

Submitted Midterm Report, Annex 7.1.4.2, Progress Report Annex 7.1.3.1

The overall goal of the action was to enable representatives from Baltic NGOs to participate in environmental policy work in the Baltic Sea region by gaining experience from WECF, and also to learn how the international lobby work with regard to the target HS is working and could be continued by BEF after the project end. To reach this goal WECF implemented three trainings and other activities, e.g. a study visit to Germany, where BEF organisations from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (and at least 14 other NGOs and organisations - more than expected) became themselves a target group of this action.

In the frame of this action, activists from Baltic NGOs gained knowledge via training courses held twice in Riga and once back-to-back with the SAICM ICCM3 international conference. Additionally, one BEF representative participated actively at the ICCM4 in September 2013 and shared the experiences she gained in the ICCM4 back home in the project partners meeting. BEF also attended the Green Week 2014 and the ECHA 10th Stakeholders' Day conference in May 2015 in Helsinki.

Russian and Belarusian NGO representatives like IPO "Ecoproject Partnership" (Belarus) and TOXI (Russia) also participated in the action and their expanded knowledge and experience has provided a basis for further work in their home countries.

During the kick-off meeting in January 2012, WECF gave an introduction to the work made so far by the WECF action leader and figured out policy areas and processes in which it is involved. During this period WECF was mainly working for international policy processes like the Rotterdam Convention on pesticides and industrial chemicals and SAICM. WECF and BEF decided to focus on these issues

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and a schedule for next activities was set up. BEF itself formed a group to discuss political lobbying work, which is a completely new field for the organisation, and what it could look like and how much room to this kind of work should be given. Based on this, WECF created a concept for a first training on NGO lobbying reflecting the input from the BEF working group on this issue.

The first training course for international NGO lobbying was held on May 21st and 22nd in 2012 in Riga and was led by WECF. Participants were trained on international policy processes like REACH, the Basel and Rotterdam Conventions and HELCOM BSAP. They were given tools that can be used for international and local lobbying, including tips to advocate decision-makers effectively on specific subjects. 27 persons from several NGOs, including two NGOs from Russian and Belarus, participated in the workshop. Contacts have been established with organisations in Baltic and neighbouring countries and the information from the BaltInfoHaz Project and NGO training has already been replicated there. Participants of the first NGO training were also able to transfer their new knowledge into their daily work, the policy processes and meetings they attended.

The second training course was given simultaneously with the 3rd International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM3) in September 2012 in Nairobi in the frame of the UNEP SAICM. This course aimed to develop the basic knowledge gained from the first NGO training and to gain new knowledge and experience in a real scenario. The experience made in Nairobi was brought back to BEF and reached the entire staff of BEF as well as NGOs from Russia and Belarus. BEF received a lot of information and enacted their first practical exercises on international political advocacy work. We also presented the BaltInfoHaz project and BEF during the poster session (as one method of lobbying work) of the conference to a broad audience, including decision-makers from the EU and other countries, as well as representatives of agencies such as ECHA and the UN. Therefore BEF was recognized on the international political level as an organisation that is engaged towards a toxics-free future.

The third training course was held in Riga in December 2012. In agreement with BEF, a workshop on NGO campaigning was provided. This was led by Chris Rose, a well-known campaign expert who formerly worked for Greenpeace and whom the WECF experts recommended. Campaigning is essential to the BaltInfoHaz project in order to raise awareness on chemicals in products. The main goal of this training was to increase the understanding of communication professionals towards the key concepts of framing campaigns, thus increasing their effectiveness in managing evaluation aspects of their projects. 26 people from Baltic, Belarusian and Albanian organisations participated in the workshop: BEF Group, Belarusian Society of Consumers, Center for Environmental Solutions (CES), “Ecoproject Partnership,” and the Women’s Movement for Integral Development-Albania.

A follow-up evaluation in form of a questionnaire highlighted the result that participants made immediate use of methods and knowledge they gained during the third NGO training; for example, a campaign implemented on hazardous substances in toys brought huge media attention and moved politicians forward to protect people more from HS in products.

In spring 2013 the exchange seminar “Communication with external – critical questions” took place to discuss how to give the message we want to externals and how does this depend on the target group we are talking to. In the meeting participated 19 persons (5 EE, 4, LV, 2 LT, 4 DE, 1 D, 3 BY). The seminar helped to prepare to the communication especially with journalists.

To deepen the knowledge on lobbying work, gain more experience in the practicalities of avoiding HS in daily life products by choosing safer products, improve abilities to demand information on HS from suppliers, and develop a strategic approach, BEF took part in a study visit to Germany in October 2013 organised by WECF. The study visit included excursions to a retail store, an ecological retailer, a cosmetic store and a workshop with an ecological hairdresser. Additionally, the participants visited Landesgewerbeanstalt, which is an official testing and control agency of the state.

The gained knowledge will be and is already part of the base for the policy work of the participating NGOs in linking the practical view with political needs. Many of the activities that came out of the study visit were brought to the participants’ home countries. For example, the eco hairdresser that provided training about non-chemical procedures was invited to and visited Estonia and Latvia to provide trainings to hairdressers’ schools in both countries. These activities resulted in media attention and even reached the ears of local politicians.

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As already mentioned, WECF is still supporting BEF within their NGO lobby work by giving concrete advice and by sharing information about the project and experiences made within the project in international and European fora. Best practices from the project are communicated at chemicals meetings “in the corridors” as well as via presentations (such as the poster presentation at ICCM3) and through other publications etc.

Activities of action D2 were implemented successfully although NGOs from Baltic States and Russia did not participate in all foreseen international lobby events. Meetings that took place gave additional value and confirmed that NGOs have an important role in the process though sometimes not as strong as wished by themselves. In the different follow-ups during meetings and by frequent communication with the project partners, deeper and more concrete knowledge could be communicated. Networks that are very important for the project’s progress as well as for ongoing political NGO work have also be built based on the experience gained from this activity. BEF is the only organization in the countries working on hazardous substances issues and during the project lifetime eg in Latvia the chemicals management board has been set up where BEF Latvia is a partner.

It has been essential for our experts to communicate with our national policy makers (ministries, consumer protection boards etc) to explain the importance of the topics. BEF Lithuania is part of the EEB Chemicals mailing lists and can contribute to the discussions; BEF Latvia is part of the ChemSec mailing list. By the end of the project BEF is more recognised as player in the chemicals field and we get information about international events more than before. Recently we also got invitation to participate in the official REACH consultation. Our experts have been also involved in the POP implementation action development in Lithuania and have been invited to the EDC discussions due to our knowledge in the area.

During the BaltInfoHaz project we have been recognised not only for industry but also in policy level lobby groups and policy makers. We are partners to international NGOs (EEB, ChemSec) and we get invitations to participate in their work. We are slowly learning policy lobbying which is not the traditional BEF working style. Nevertheless it is important to state that it is not easy for small players like Baltic Environmental Forum to get the foot to the door of international big events and gatherings, but we are one step further than before the project.

Table 6 gives an overview of the trainings, number of participants and relevant experiences gained.

Table 6 Overview of trainings in frame of D2 action

Training and its aim 1st training on international NGO lobbying was held on May 21st and 22nd 2012 in Riga

Number of participants Experience gained and used 27 people from Estonia (5), The training experience was Latvia (7), Lithuania (9), used in the working group Belorussia (2), Russia (2) and meetings in the countries Germany (2). (under ministries of environment and social affairs).

The lobbying of the NGOs unfortunately is not as strong and powerful as for relevant industry branches therefore tangible results are very difficult to achieve. The participants from the training participated for example in EEB Chemicals Working Group meeting, ECHA 10th Stakeholders' Day conference in May 2015, 6th Annual Forum of the European Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR). nd 2 training was held in One person from BEF Latvia and International conference in September 2012 in Nairobi in one person from WECF (from Nairobi proved that the the frame of the UNEP SAICM. WECF participated more industry lobby is strong and

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This course aimed to develop persons but not in frame of the the basic knowledge gained BaltInfoHaz project). from the first NGO training and to gain new knowledge (how actually big conference of parties looks like) and experience in a real scenario.

3rd training on NGO campaigning in December 2012 in Riga to learn strategic campaign building

26 people from Baltic, Belarusian and Albanian organisations participated in the workshop: BEF Group (19), Belarusian Society of Consumers (1), Center for Environmental Solutions (CES) (1), “Ecoproject Partnership,” (1) and the Women’s Movement for Integral Development-Albania (2)

In spring 2013 the exchange In the meeting participated 19 seminar “Communication with persons (5 EE, 4, LV, 2 LT, 4 DE, external – critical questions” 1 D, 3 BY). took place to discuss how to give the message we want to externals and how does this depend on the target group we are talking to.

Study trip to Germany in October 2013 to gain more experience in the practicalities of avoiding HS in daily life products by choosing safer products, improve abilities to demand information on HS from suppliers and develop a strategic approach.

18 people from Estonia (5), Latvia (6), Lithuania (2) and Germany (5) participated on the study trip.

they have a lot of resources for it. The experience gained in the real situation was given by participating BEF Latvia expert to other BEF colleagues in the general BEF Group meeting – the complexity of the meeting, the several parallel working groups and side-events.

The campaign training gave a basis for building up the “Think before you buy campaign” in the Baltic States and also in Russia. It pointed out critical aspects and gave BEF thoughts how to involve large stakeholder groups. The critical questions and answers were directly used when presenting the blood test results in Estonia and Lithuania in spring 2014.

To communicate with different stakeholders the most important is to have a position and a message. It is vital to present your position and message to different target groups a little differently – politicians are like general public, business needs to trust you, consumers would like to have easy and simple messages etc. Information gained during the seminar helped the project team in communication with media in following project year as well in communication with policy makers.

The study trip gave inspiration and proof how to choose safer products and demand information about them. As a concrete result the “right to know” action in Baltic States was implemented later on in frame of the project as well the connection to the ecohairdresser who gave lectures in Latvia and Estonia was established.

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action All the activities planned in the frame of action D2 were performed within the planned time limits.

Detailed action report is attached in PR Annex 7.2.2.3.2

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5.1.5. Action E: Monitoring of the project impact on the main target audience and on the environmental problem targeted 5.1.5.1. Action E1: Assessment of impacts on stakeholders, target audience and the environmental problem Name of the Deliverable Assessment report on estimation of impacts of the project activities on the target group and on the environmental problem targeted by the project

Deadline 30.07.2015

Status Completed 30.09.2015

Submitted Final report Annex 7.2.2.4.1

The project addressed the problem of emissions of priority hazardous substances and focused on private consumers. The consumers were directly addressed either directly or indirectly through salespersons or teachers. To measure the success of the actions carried out it was necessary to measure the acceptance and change of behaviour of the target group in campaign actions.

The general goal of the monitoring and evaluation concept was to draw conclusions on the effectiveness of the project activities, first of all regarding their potential to trigger a change in behaviour and, second, to deduct the potential to contribute to solving the environmental problem.

The monitoring concept that was developed in the beginning of the project had to be changed for nearly all project activities, since it was either not possible to implement the proposed evaluation method (e.g. distribution a questionnaire in form of a postcard in K-rauta stores), or other methods proved more suitable (before-after survey in school classrooms). During the implementation of the action together with subcontractor questionnaires for the target groups of the actions were elaborated and specific instructions for interviewers agreed.

Many of campaigns had an experimental character in the sense that such campaigns on hazardous substances have not been carried out in the Baltic States before. In order to verify the success of these campaigns in terms of the influence on consumption behaviour and eventually the impact on the environment, all of the campaigns were monitored, evaluated and assessed. The overall result is that all campaigns have been successful regarding their potential to change behaviour. We can conclude this from the results of our evaluation, however with different degrees of certainty, depending on the type of evaluation method that was possible with the available data.

The principle that was followed in the BaltInfoHaz project was that the different activities should be monitored in a quantitative fashion whenever the available data allowed that and in a qualitative way, when quantification was not easily possible. In some instances, the quantified data could be tested for significance, provided the data set was large enough. In other cases, however, the quantification was not possible due to the relatively low number of data points obtained during the evaluation. This is a common limitation when evaluating activities that could be considered piloting activities for which only limited funds are available to test these new methods. Consequently, only a limited sample of the general target group can be addressed and thus only a limited sample of the population can be asked to evaluate the activity. In such situations, qualitative studies allow drawing conclusions about the effectiveness of the activity.

From the campaign for school children we can see a clear increase in the knowledge of pupils on hazardous substances after they have been taught about hazardous substances using the educational materials developed by the project. The campaign for retailers show a clear significant trend that the sales of products having the price tag “safer choice� which was specially designed in the project to mark products with less hazardous substances have increased more than other products without the price tag. The findings for the first two campaigns are statistically significant, as we had enough quantitative data to verify the findings. The campaigns for hairdressers and households are evaluated as successful; too, however, this finding is based on less data and cannot be verified for significance.

Based on questionnaires to hairdressers and participants in info days for the general public, we see

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that a majority is either ready to change their behaviour to using/buying products with less hazardous substances or has already done so.

The impact on the environment could not be measured “directly in the field” in e.g. in waste water treatment plants or even surface water. It is not have been possible to quantify the potential changes in concentrations and reliably determine all factors causing them due to the large number of potential emission sources and the time span between the project activities and the occurrence of our target substances in the water bodies. The approach to assess the impact of the BaltInfoHaz project on the environment has thus been to use proxies instead. Such proxy data are for example the sales data of a major construction retailer - a partner in the project – which could then be extrapolated and for which corresponding emissions could be estimated.

However, the actual impact to the environment would only occur if the products, producing the hazardous substances would not have been produced in the first place. Thus, in order to have a substantial impact on the environment, the consumption choices need to be changed on a larger scale. The evaluation can only assess the potential of the different project activities to trigger such a change.

Table 7 gives an overview of the different campaigns, the evaluation methods and the strongest statement that could be gained from the evaluation – qualitative or quantitative – whereby a quantitative statement is considered a stronger statement.

Table 7 Overview on campaigns, evaluation methods and results

Campaign Campaign hairdressers

Evaluation methods

Statement evaluation

based

on

the

for Attitude questionnaire among Qualitative statement hairdressers Ex post survey after masterclasses

Campaign for Sales data construction retailers Surveys at shops Evaluation of staff training Campaign for - School Before-after-tests in schools teachers and children in pupils in Estonian schools school age

Significant quantitative statement from sales data of Significant statement

quantitative

Campaign for Questionnaires (phone survey) of Qualitative statement households, in particular household members who those with children participated in info days (or meetings) In conclusion, statements about the reduction of the environmental problem can only be of presumptive nature.

As most of the campaigns were, however, evaluated as positive, we would also conclude that this would positively correlate with a decrease of emission of hazardous substances to the environment.

Would it be possible to implement them on a larger scale, e.g. informing more citizens all three countries, addressing more hairdressers and teaching more children, then we assume that the project could contribute to reducing the environmental problem. The project provided information materials for almost all of the campaigns which will outlive the project and will increase the number of citizens or professionals that are part of the target groups of the project. Thus, the contribution to reducing the environmental problem does not end with the end of the project.

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action All the activities planned in the frame of action E1 were performed within the planned time limits.

The evaluation started slowly as the information from the campaigns came in pieces.

Detailed evaluation report can be found in annex 7.2.2.4.1.

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5.2 Dissemination actions 5.2.1 Objectives BaltInfoHaz contained several dissemination actions also within A and C sections of the proposal: action A5 Networking with similar (LIFE) projects and actors in the region, C6 Regular media work and C8 Making the “invisible” visible: video clips. But the main parts of the dissemination actions were in F section of the proposal. Though there was no action called “general project visibility” it can be stated that the basis for common visibility was given in preparatory action B2 were concepts of the campaigns together with visual means were agreed. The aim of the action F1 “project website” was to prepare and maintain the project website as a tool to distribute information to the target audience in the three Baltic States. The action F2 “LIFE+ information boards” aimed to place information boards to different locations connected to the project campaigns – retail shops, schools etc. The action F3 “Layman´s report” aimed to give information about the project and its main results, findings in easy understandable language. Action F4 “Final project presentation” was for presenting the project results in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Actions A5 and all F actions were led by CB BEF EE with involvement and support of the communication experts from AB2 BEF LV and AB3 BEF LT. The Action C6 was led by AB2 BEF LV and the action C8 was led by AB5 VFS with information and contribution from other project partners.

Besides the communication experts many other experts from universities and retail shops gave their input by providing valuable educational information and circumstances regarding retail market in Baltic States.

5.2.2 Dissemination: overview per activity 5.2.2.1. Action F1: Project website Name of the Milestone Project website established

Deadline 31.03.2012

Status Project website teaser 31.03.2012, fully functional website 31.01.2013

Submitted Midterm Report, Annex 7.1.4.2, Progress Report Annex 7.1.3.1

The main goal of the action was to prepare and maintain the website as a tool for information distribution from the project to a wide audience in the three Baltic States.

A fully functional project website was launched in January 2013, with a fresh design and in five available language versions (English, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian and Russian). BaltInfoHaz project website is www.thinkbefore.eu (for EN, EE, RU language versions), http://www.pagalvok.lt (LT national version) and www.padomapirmsperc.lv (LV national version). The English language version provides a general overview of project activities, info about partners and it highlights some specific issues which are of interest for the international audience. The aim of the Russian language version is to provide information about hazardous substances, their use in different products and the possible adverse health and environmental effects related to the hazardous chemicals to the native Russian speaking inhabitants in the Baltic States which often lack sufficient knowledge in Estonian, Latvian or Lithuanian language to understand hazardous substance issues, but are a large group of consumers and therefore target audience of the project.

The general concept development for the website started already in December 2011, first proposals and ideas were presented during kick-off meeting and the process continued until January 2013. In parallel with content discussions and concept, a web-design company was contracted who hand-inhand with project experts helped to develop the technical solutions and design elements for project

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website. Extensive communication between the web-design Company and CB BEF EE took place in order to find the best options how to make the project website attractive for the general public. The www.thinkbefore.eu website was designed to be more than a classical project website – it was a campaign tool addressing the target groups directly with information supporting change of consumption behaviour besides information about the project. Although through the project there have been technical problems with website it has not hindered the reaching objectives of the campaigns. The technical problems have been solved with updating the software and more careful updating of the site and controlling of the links. The links sometimes do not work because of the changes in original website of the broadcasting and unfortunately it has not been possible always to download the clip to our own server. The aim of the beneficiary and partners is to keep using the website as important portal for information regarding hazardous substances in our environment.

The development and launching of the project website was well in line with the development of campaigns and in line with project timetable. CB BEF EE was responsible for managing the English, Estonian and Russian content of the project website; AB2 BEF LV and AB3 BEF LT update and maintain their national websites.

During the project period October 2011 until September 2015 the EE/ENG/RU version www.thinkbefore.eu has had more than 28000 visitors in total. The Latvian national website www.padomapirmsperc.lv has approximately more than 15000 visitors in total. It can be clearly distinguished that the number of visitors on project websites quadruples if there has been a press release, a news article or Facebook post referring to our project. Lithuanian website has had more than 85000 visitors in total. The high number of visitors of the Lithuanian website compared to other country versions is clearly due to much wider media attention and coverage during the project implementation period.

Project website has received very positive feedback from partners and different target groups, it is unique in style, attractive, easy to navigate and very informative and therefore serves its purpose perfectly. CB BEF EE and AB3 BEF LT are also very actively using their organizations Facebook pages to share project news, upcoming events and information about published info materials. This assures even wider dissemination of project activities and results and helps to refer people to the project website. The website has not been created as usual project website – we have foreseen longer lifetime as well use of the portal also in future. The website has been recognised by target group and we would like to continue using it also during future projects.

In the beginning of 2014 the BaltInfoHaz project in cooperation with its “daughter” project “BelHazCampaign” (EuropeAid-financed) in Belarus extended the web platform also for Belarussian target audience. Therefore an additional web domain address was installed with a website that is referring to the Belarusian legal basis (non-EU) and gives the information in a way that is not referring to European Union legal system. The cost of the hosting and maintaining the project website were shared by the project in following way: the domain name as such is property of CB BEF EE and additional language version and relevant adaptation was added by the project BelHazCampaign. BaltInfoHaz project gained native Russian speaking experts who gave valuable input in setting up the Russian language version of the website.

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action The development of the project website started in the very beginning of the project. But as the website was developed in more complex way in the beginning teaser site was used. All the activities took place in the agreed timeline although sometimes some delays occurred when the publications were publicly seen (for technical reasons).

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5.2.2.2 Action F2: LIFE+ information boards Name of the Deliverable Project information boards

Deadline 31.12.2013

Name of the Milestone Information boards produced and installed to raise public awareness about the project and hazardous substances

Deadline 31.12.2013

Status Animated clips 31.12.2013

Status Completed 31.12.2014

Submitted Midterm report Annex 7.1.6.2, Progress Report, Annex 7.1.5.2

Submitted Midterm report Annex 7.1.6.2, Progress Report, Annex 7.1.5.2

The aim of the action was to produce information boards which provide information about hazardous substances in products and help to support the implementation of different campaigns.

Information boards produced within BaltInfoHaz campaign project can be divided into four groups:  Information boards targeted at consumers to support the C3 campaign at retailers (AB8 Rautakesko LV and AB9 Rautakesko EE)  Information boards targeted at youth to support the C4 campaign at the universities and schools (AB6 TLU and AB7 LiepU)  Information boards targeted at the general public to support the C1 campaign in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania  Information boards/promotion banners to support the overall visibility of project.

Project team would like to point out that in the context of this project the project team has defined the term “information board” as follows: since the campaign project is different from classical LIFE projects the form and format of the information board has been defined depending on the specific needs of each campaign and therefore varies. The form and format of the information boards has been chosen to maximise the attractiveness to their target audience, ease of use (and re-use), costeffectiveness and possibility to reach as many people as possible. The information boards have been designed so that the same design can be used for different formats (e.g. roll-up, A5 poster or bigger/smaller, etc. depending on the possibilities and current needs). Also the project team decided that each country can develop different information boards, keeping in mind that main project visibility elements must be used.

A lot of different information boards (street campaign posters, information boards, roll-ups and info graphics) have been produced within the project. The content of the materials is unique in the Baltic States since such topic has not been addressed in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; our campaign is the first of its kind. To choose the right location and the type of info boards therefore is a bit of experiment for our team.

We admit that to shopping centres it was not possible to put up these kinds of posters as we originally thought, but K-rauta stores are coming more and more as place for different kind of products. Nevertheless the infostands in K-rauta shops are targeted to paints, varnishes etc. Also to the schools and kindergartens smaller and lighter information boards/ posters were wished.

Therefore in classical sense our infostands are not firmly installed. However the posters in schools and kindergartens are installed on walls and are actively used. With this approach we reached remarkably higher numbers than originally foreseen – 50 in EE and LV and 500 in LT. The information boards foreseen in the application have been reached and even more. Instead of originally foreseen 20 boards in Estonia, Latvia and 10 in Lithuania the number is much higher in all countries.

In Latvia and Estonia there were 50 „Safer kid’s room“ posters – short advices for parents on how to make nurseries safer for kids. In Lithuania there were 500 posters with information about hazardous

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substances that could be found in a child’s nursery, health effects different chemicals have on a child and how to choose safer alternatives and avoid exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Additionally to the mentioned ones in all countries also street campaign was carried out which was not originally foreseen in the application. So far we have received very positive feedback to the street campaign which was organised in all three Baltic States. The company who sells and rents commercial space in bus stations and street platforms is the same in all three Baltic States (JCDecaux) and they were very cooperative with the project team.

More detailed table with information on information boards can be found in Annex 7.2.2.5.

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action The development of the project information boards started with general concept development in the beginning of 2012. The main concepts as well posters were designed in given timeframe. Placement of infostands/ posters continued also in 2014.

5.2.2.3 Action F3: Layman´s report Name of the Deliverable Layman´s report

Deadline 30.07.2015

Status Completed 30.08.2015

Submitted Final report Annex 7.3.1

The aim of the layman´s report is to give short overview of the project aims and results achieved to wide audience.

The BaltInfoHaz layman´s report summarises in short all project campaigns and gives overview of main substances that should be avoided in everyday products. As the website is not classical project site also the layman´s report has added value – it contains small wallet cards that can be used by people every day.

The layman´s report is available in English, Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian (Final Report Annex 7.3.1).

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action The development of the project layman´s report started in the last project year and was completed just before the end of the project.

5.2.2.4 Action F4: Final Project Presentation The aim of the action was to present project results to larger audience in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

The project results were summarised in events that took place in the last quarter of the project. In Latvia and Lithuania the events took place in frame of different kind of family or environmental fairs.

The project team used the possibilities to get closer to the target group and invited different stakeholders to attend the meeting. The later is also the reason why the originally planned approach was changed compared to the application.

The project final event in Latvia was organized as a part of a larger group of festivities in frame of the Father's day taking place outdoors in centre of Riga. Concept of the whole event was that families walk around stands in the park, dedicated to many different topics, and, by fulfilling tasks in each of them, gain a possibility to participate in a lottery. "Think before you buy" was one of these stands

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where everybody could participate in a specially designed game, answering questions on products groups covered by the project and, when successfully completed, had a chance to participate in a lottery with small eco-prizes. Also all project information materials (pocket guides, brochures, movies, etc.) where freely available to anybody that was interested. The event and also the "Think before you buy" stand saw a very big attendance - around 70 people completed the game and wished to participate in the lottery and the total number of visitors of the stand was well over a hundred, which was the maximum capacity that could be physically handled by the project team and game type in the given 6 hours. Also nearly all displayed materials were taken by visitors.

The Lithuanian final event took place in frame of the lifestyle festival “Naisių vasara 2015” (11.12.07.2015), which is promoting soberness and healthy living style. Concept of the event was somewhat similar to the Latvian event, where people visit different stands and have a opportunity to discuss various environmental and health aspects. "Think before you buy" was one of these stands where was possibility to participate in specially designed game The game – eco label labyrinth – was invented in order to attract attention and teach people to recognize eco labels. Also all project information materials (pocket guides, brochures, movies, etc.) where freely available to anybody that was interested. BEF Lithuanian team thought people how to choose safer products. The stand used in its set up tested products which attracted attention of festival visitors and gave the project team a chance to talk to many people. Festival as such had about 30000 visitors.

The Estonian final event took place on 24th September 2015 and was set up more as classical seminar – presentations about different project campaigns and summarizing results where held. The event was attended by 34 persons and after each presentation results and also further activities were discussed. In the final event also one of the hairdressers with whom the voluntary agreement has been made, introduced her activities and reasons for using more natural products. The participants were very active and gave a good feedback to the project results.

Additionally to the national final project presentation the international project presentation was done together with final project partners meeting and policy round table in August 2015. In the meeting the main results and achievements were introduced. Beside the project partners also representatives from Baltic States authorities were present.

Presentation, agenda and signature list or other relevant materials can be found in Annex 7.2.2.5.1.

Evaluation of the time schedule of the action The final project presentation took place in the last months of the project. Preparation started already in the end of 2014. All activities were implemented during the given timeframe.

5.2.2.5 Action F4: After-LIFE communication plan After-LIFE communication plan has been developed by the leading coordinators of partners during elaboration of the final report. The After-LIFE communication plan contains the following information and can be found in Annex 7.3.2 of the Final Report: - General information about the BaltInfoHaz project - Aims of the “Think before you buy!” Communication Strategy - The campaigns of “Think before you buy!”

- Future (Communication) Plans - Conclusions - The information materials produced in BaltInfoHaz project

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5.2.3 Table of visibility outputs from project actions including quantification and evaluation of objectives achieved Table 8: Visibility outputs from the project

Activity/ output

Action number

Achieved

Evaluation/ quantifiable terms

Corporate design

B2

Specially designed project logo and powerpoint presentation were developed at the beginning of the project and used in all project related documents, reports, deliverables and materials as well in events and on website.

Slogan of the campaigns was agreed.

Project visual identification was well recognised and used by the project team. The presenting tools were successfully used by project partners during project lifetime (and after). The project poster used in street campaign in LIT and EST has been mentioned as one good poster in LIT design book.

6 topical pocket guides

C1

Topical guides were elaborated in the first half of the project. The guides were distributed in events and on requests to general public, young parents but as well to students and pupils.

6x1500 copies in EST 6x1500 copies in LIT 6x1500 copies in LAT 6x500 copies in RUS

BEF LT C1/C6 Facebook page https://www.f acebook.com/ pagalvok.lt/?fr ef=ts

BEF LT has taken the campaign also to social The page has more than 700 media by managing a special page “Think followers before you buy”. The page is actively used to give information about the topic, invite people to events etc.

Handbook for C2 hairdressers

Handbook was elaborated by project experts 50 in EST after making inventory of products at one of 100 in LAT the main importers of hair care products.

ENG electronically Printed handbooks were given to hairdressers in info days and to hairdresser´s schools.

Information C2 leaflets for customers of hairdressers

Information leaflet in a form of a table stand 50 in EST “10 tips to know about hair care” was made in 100 in LAT attractive way for hair salons. Printed leaflets ENG electronically were given to hair salons as well to schools.

Guidance C2 material for car care

Many efforts were made to make guidance 50 in EST material for car care facilities. The guidance 50 in LAT was finalised in the last part of the project.

Printed guidance materials was distributed to selected car care facilities and given to relevant schools and distributed in events.

Information C2 leaflets for customers of car care facilities

After the guidance material for car care 50 in EST facilities “Tips for safer car care” was 50 in LAT elaborated for clients of car care facilities.

Printed leaflets were distributed to selected car care facilities and given to relevant schools.

Client information

Client leaflets on indoor paints, varnishes and 2x5000 in EST adhesives were developed and placed to

C3

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leaflets for KRauta shops (flyers) and in regular mailings (catalogue)

infostands in K-rauta stores: "How to choose 2x1700 in LAT better indoor adhesive" and "How to choose better indoor paint or varnish".

Regular mailings in K-rauta clients’ catalogues were part of the campaign activities in Estonia and Latvia. In total 6 mailings of product 6x260000 in EST catalogue or newsletter took place during the 6x260000 in LAT lifetime of the project.

Handbook for C3 shop assistants

Handbook for shop assistants in the paint Electronically in LAT section of a construction retailer shop was done in Latvian and only electronically.

Teacher´s handbook

Teacher´s handbook elaboration started in the 50 in EST beginning of the project. It took efforts from 100 in LAT BEF EE, BEF LV, TLU and LIEPU to fine-tune the ENG electronically handbook. Additionally the English version of the handbook was elaborated to give possibilities to elaborate handbook in other languages (e.g. Lithuanian). The handbook was given to partner universities and to selected schools.

C4

Lenses and C4 memory sticks

Together with teacher´s handbook lenses 1000 lenses in EE (help to make label reading exercises) and 50 memory sticks in EE memory sticks with all relevant teaching materials were done to accompany the handbook.

Small C5 brochure “Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) - the action is needed now”

To inform policy makers about EDCs in the 150 in EST Baltic States small brochure summarising the 50 in LAT topic was elaborated. Printed brochures were 100 in LIT distributed to policy makers and ministries officials during round tables, meetings and negotiations.

Small C5 brochure "Hazardous chemicals in everyday products – you have the right to know"

After making testing of the Article 33, the 50 in EST project team decided to elaborate information Latvian and material for policy makers as well for electronically consumers about their rights. Printed brochures were distributed to policy makers and public in final event.

Info graphics

C6

Info graphics on three subjects – cosmetics, Electronically in LAT and LIT household chemicals and toys were made to support the campaign activities in Latvia and Lithuania.

Media work

C6

The correspondence with media was very active throughout the project lifetime (and it continues). The project team wanted to have articles in different media – internet, newspapers, TV and radio.

Lithuanian

49 TV reportages; 39 radio reportages; 98 articles in printed media (newspapers, magazines); 285 articles on internet (portals,

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websites, blogs).

T-shirts promote project

to C6/C3 the

The project team wore in public events special 2 T-shirts in Latvia T-shirts, e.g. in Lithuania during the test 9 T-shirts in Lithuania results press conference and in Latvia in the Krauta campaign.

Test your C7 environment!

Although in the project the summarising Electronically in EST, LAT, LIT report from C7 action was not foreseen in this and ENG form, the project team wanted to give good overview of the results to public and to policy makers (important information when planning inspections) so the report on testing of hazardous substances in blood, dust, products and indoor air in all of the Baltic States was elaborated.

Test your C7 environment Info graph

Info graph in Latvian to introduce the “test Electronically in LAT your environment” children room air test results.

Animated C8 clips and educational short films

Animated clips and the 300 DVD with EST, LAT, LIT, ENG educational/provocative films were made to and RUS clips support the activities and draw attention to the tackled problem. The clips are available in YouTube, project website as well in a special DVD.

Project website

F1

The website is not just classical project website but it is set up more as campaign website. The website has been one of the main information sources. It is a good place where all information materials produced have been gathered.

Street posters

F2

Huge street posters with the symbols of the 176 in EST campaign were placed in bigger cities of 150 in LAT Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to support the 333 in LIT campaign. In Estonia only one type (toys) of the poster was used, in Latvia 2 (baby cosmetics, household chemicals) and in Lithuania 3 different types (toys, cosmetics, household chemicals).

Info-stands, F2 roll-ups and posters

To support project campaigns different infostands, roll-ups and posters were made by project partners. The roll-ups were general ones about project as such or concretely about one or the other topic. The posters followed the same design and information and were given to schools, universities etc. Special infostands were made for the K-rauta stores.

Layman´s report

F3

The BaltInfoHaz layman´s report summarises in short all project campaigns and gives overview of main substances that should be avoided in everyday products.

Magnets

F4

BEF Lithuania made as prizes for the final event magnets with project symbols.

EST/ENG/RUS version more than 28000 visitors LAT version more than 15000 visitors LIT version more than 85000 visitors

6 roll-up posters (4 EE, 2 LT) 50 posters on child´s room in LV 500 posters with information about hazardous substances in LT 50 posters in EE 9 infostands in EE and LV in retail stores 200 in EST 200 in LAT 200 in LIT 100 in ENG 500 in LIT

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5.3 Evaluation of Project Implementation Methodology applied: all BaltInfoHaz campaigns were carried out with common approach and similar strategies although the concepts of building up the campaigns were different in details – for example in Lithuania in the beginning only one of the campaigns (C1) was planned to be implemented but in other two countries all the campaigns. This required different setting for implementation and planning of recourses. Both concepts have their positive and negative sides. To start very strongly with one campaign gives possibility to reach wider audience (as was done in Lithuania) but it does not mean that it would be easier later on to take up other target groups. On the other hand, to start in parallel many campaigns takes more efforts but the results are wider and target group more variable.

To reach the aims of the campaigns the following methods were used: - Direct communication with target group - Articles in media and visualisation (internet, newspapers, TV, videos etc.)

- Getting proof of the hazardous substances in our environment The direct communication with target group is the most effective way to give information. The communication can either be in more general level or in frame of very concrete trainings (hairdressers, retail shop assistants). Direct communication gives immediate feedback if the information is received and if there are questions that need further clarifications. Minus of the direct communication is that it is resource consuming and the number of people reached is limited.

Articles in media give possibility to reach larger auditoria but it is not so personal and the direct feeling of reaction is missing. However, it is important to get information to news and to media as this gives possibility for continuation – articles stay there and new people can read them. For visualisation it is necessary to think how to make the message attractive and provocative – where is the news aspect.

Getting proofs of hazardous substances in products and in our environment is crucial in order to show that we are not making the subject up but there is real concern behind. Although this is expensive and evaluation of results is not always straight forward it is important to gain knowledge and proofs.

The main learning’s from the project are following: - It takes time to build up the campaign and start activities especially when something tangible is needed as basis; - Given messages have to be clear and easily understandable to the target group; - It is important to have a lot of proofs – testing of products, air, dust, blood – it gives something tangible to public and makes it easier for media to take up the topic; - In today’s society media channels are changing fast and it is important to keep up with them regardless that original plan might have been different; - Policy processes are slow in areas where strong industry lobby is present (not only in EU level but as well on national level); - To evaluate the change in actual behaviour more years are needed for campaigning and immediate success may not be so easy to see; - To approach business – unfortunately strict requirements from legislation help as in Baltic States the voluntary responsible activities are not yet so common; - For businesses the economical aspect comes usually as first one and as there a not real environmental friendly suppliers of certain products (car care, hair care) in Baltic States it is not so easy to convince them; - Cooperation with big retail chains is time consuming and takes more efforts from your side, especially if the consortium’s mother-company is not officially partner of the project (in our case Kesko in Finland);

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-

Recourses are needed to gather data for evaluating the campaigns – as mostly it is qualitative assessment different data is needed than for evaluating direct wastewater cleaning.

All in all the selected methods were applied in all campaigns in different settings and results were achieved – we can state that the single methods were actually successful. The project prolongation gave possibility to make additional efforts to reach the most difficult target group – car care facilities which otherwise probably would not have been possible.

Table 9 Comparison of results achieved against objectives A1 Project management and administration Expected results End result Evaluation Partners contracting All partner contracts and subActivity was implemented as contracts contracted according to planned the procedure Partners management Regular communication, partners Activity implemented meetings, human resources continuously and as planned management, administrative support to partners Financial management Setting up the financial control Activity was implemented as mechanisms, elaboration of planned during partner reporting standards, explaining meetings and in bilateral requirements of LIFE programme, communication between CB control of budget went as planned and relevant partner Content coordination of the Action leaders met frequently Activity was implemented as project (meetings, skype) prior or after planned and on regular bases partners meetings and the synergies between actions were discussed, publications were elaborated jointly Reporting 4 reports (Inception, Midterm, The first three reports were Progress and Final) prepared and submitted in time, the submitted as foreseen submission of the final report was more time consuming and took more efforts than originally planned.

A2 Project Monitoring Board Expected results End result Evaluation Project is running smoothly Project was running rather As each project also smoothly BaltInfoHaz had actions that were not so smooth in the implementation than originally thought. These took more efforts for implementing.

Possible necessary variations The CB had close communication The budget and content or modifications in actions or with all partners both on budget modification was time budget are recognized in and on content. The budget and consuming but it was necessary time, communicated to the ToR of the project were modified in order to achieve the donors, agreed in terms of once. objectives of the project. solutions and procedure and implemented upon agreements Partners are communicating Partners had regular partners Communication and

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and harmonizing their activities with each other

meeting; action leaders had more frequent communication.

Activities were harmonized to get additional synergies.

harmonization of activities went well. Though some more efforts had to be made in communication with Rautakesko.

7 project monitoring board Totally 9 monitoring board The action started later than meetings held meetings were held originally planned but in the last project year more monitoring meetings were necessary to evaluate and agree on progress.

Project successfully The project was successfully There were actions that were implemented according to implemented according to ToR. not so easy to implement in the ToR ToR was modified once to better way foreseen in the ToR – C2 correspond to the actual car repair and D2 policy lobbing implementation. at international level. Rest of the actions were implemented more or less in correspondence to ToR. A5 – Networking with similar (LIFE) projects and actors in the region Expected results End result Evaluation

Networking with similar activities and NGO actors in the region that aim to contribute to reduction of Hazardous substances pollution of the Baltic Sea

There are initiatives in the Baltic Sea scale. Different players came together on various events and trainings.

Contacts to Denmark were made and close cooperation is with Stockholm and Finland.

Promotion of the LIFE project at international arena

At least 40 guests from Baltic Sea region participated in the international seminar

EU level organizations are working in Brussels and it is rather difficult to get in unless you wish to be a member in their organization. As BEF is more bridge between different stakeholders we were not eager to be a member in their organizations officially.

But the contacts with EEB and also ECHA have been established.

Project team participated in 9 Project was well presented international events where the in the international arena results from the BaltInfoHaz especially taking into project were introduced. In account that quite many of some presentations were the results are only in made, in others active national languages and the participation was required. campaigns are ongoing more on grassroots level.

In the seminar participated 80 The seminar was very well persons from Baltic states, prepared and received huge other EU Member States and attention from stakeholders. also from Russia and The feedback to the seminar Belorussia. was very positive. The discussions in seminar helped to develop further the campaigns at national level.

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B1 – In-depth assessment of reduction potential End result Evaluation “Assessment report: Potential The report was prepared as impacts of the project activities on planned and in the initially the environmental problems foreseen time schedule; it set addressed by the project” the criteria for environmental prepared “messages” as well as for calculating the environmental impact of the campaigns Round table discussions held Round table held in Autumn 2012 Round table gave a significant with competent authorities input in preparing a realistic and key NGOs assessment report and also informed relevant stakeholders about campaigning activities planned in the project B2 – Development of concept for the campaigns and their instruments Expected results End result Evaluation Harmonised concept of Common concept for project Common concept was agreed project information materials information materials and tools; and in general kept throughout and tools project logo, main messages and all campaigns. Some slogan agreed and elaborated adjustments depending on concrete target group were made during the implementation but general logo and slogan were kept.

Single campaign scenarios Product groups & hazardous Scenarios for implementation including detailed time substances of concern to this were agreed in the beginning planning project agreed, possible scenarios but due to the reluctance of and vision for implementing the the car care target group campaigns elaborated adjustments had to be made to reach the aim of the project.

Info materials drafted in English templates of 6 guidebooks Information materials were English languages (templates) and the information which was elaborated in English and uploaded on project website were translated into national important templates for different languages. It gave good bases further project information for agreeing on messages and materials. Throughout the project keeping the common visibility all deliverables had similar style elements during the project and common visibility elements lifetime. and the core messages were harmonised throughout all actions.

Expected results Assessment report (PDF)

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C1 – Encouraging hazardous substance free living environment Expected results End result Evaluation Approximately 150 000 More than 2000 people were reached The predicted number of women (young families) by info days, 97 791 unique visitors people to be reached by reached by the direct for project website. All media/special internet activities and media campaign activities targeted magazine coverage could reach more coverage of hazardous for web forums and than 1 000 000 people in all Baltic substances topic is achieved. specialised magazines, which Countries. already makes in average approx. 3% of whole population of every country.

6 guidebooks on cleaning 6 guidebooks on cleaning agents, Guidebooks are prepared and agents, cosmetics, cosmetics, renovation materials, toys, printed, they are considered by renovation materials, toys, baby care and EDCs have been target audience as valuable and baby care have been made printed and disseminated in Estonia, useful. available in Estonian, Latvia and Lithuania.

Latvian, Lithuanian and Russian languages.

Setting up the discussion Network of contacts (use of social “Web fora” are no longer the topic at the web forum networks as Facebook, Twitter etc.) main information exchange regarding hazardous for further distribution of generated platform for project target substances. Established information established. Frequent group, this tool of information other network of contacts information updating on webpage. dissemination was changed to (use of social networks as the social network “Facebook” Facebook, Twitter etc.) for and “Ask the expert” query further distribution of form in the project webpage. generated information.

The change in media channel Frequent information on did not hinder achieving the goal of the action and the web page update. project.

A series of 8 specialised During project implementation time Far more articles than foreseen targeted articles in there were written 392 articles about were published. specialized magazines. hazardous substances in our everyday used articles and environment (219 articles in Lithuania, 123 articles in Latvia and 50 articles in Estonia) Intensive direct 97 info days were carried out (15 in The goal of direct communication with the Estonia, 19 in Latvia and 63 in communication with the target target group in a form of Lithuania). group was achieved and more series (15-20 per country) of info days carried out. interactive info days.

Web site has 3000 visitors The project website has had by the The project goal is overper country. end of the project more than 80 424 fulfilled. unique visitors and 97 791 visits.

C2 –Hairdressers and car repair Expected results End result Evaluation Addressing 15% of 95 hairdressers have been personally The goal set for reaching registered enterprises with approached and questioned in Latvia hairdressers has been clearly information (reached at to find out their knowledge level reached – both by exceeding least 75 hairdressers/beauty about safe choice of products and the 50 hairdressers reached salons and 60 car repair working environment, as well as and by addressing students in shops) inform about materials prepared in hairdresser professional frame of the project. Additionally 54 schools that constitutes to

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hairdressers in Estonia (which is approximately 15% of registered enterprises) answered to more indepth questionnaire about hazardous substances. In Lithuania approximately 40-50 hairdressers were approached via networks and personal contacts from which 8 came to the training.

Largest operators of car parks and car repair facilities – municipal transportation companies, taxi companies and car dealerships have been contacted to find out their perspective on choosing products with less hazardous substances.

Mapping of target audience and initial contacting

Contacts of hairdressers and car repair shops in Latvia and Estonia gathered, initial contacts made with majority of them, most perspective ones logged to work further on potential voluntary agreement cases.

Interview with selected enterprises on awareness and cooperation potential

Several hairdressing saloons have expressed interest in project activities and materials after interviews (roughly one third of all who were approached), with these saloons more detailed negotiations have been held.

A joint event for young hairdressers in Latvia has been held, informing them about hazardous substances in professional cosmetics and occupational health aspects. The one-event approach has been chosen, as the school where the info day took place prepares ~85% of total young hairdressers in Latvia. A handbook for hairdressers (both students and already working professionals) has been elaborated.

In-depth information for the target group: -16 info days in total targeted at workers of hairdressers/ beauty salons and car repair shops in national languages -Two sets of info materials for hairdressers/ beauty salons and car repair shops

significantly more than 15% of whole target group.

For car repair shops – the initially indicated amount has not been reached quantitatively due to distinct lack of interest from the target group on the topic, however, nearly all dealerships have been approached in Latvia and Estonia and additionally a significant number of young mechanics have been informed in info days.

Therefore, it can be stated that qualitatively over 15% of the total target group has been addressed and reached.

A full scale mapping of both target groups has been done in several steps covering majority of businesses in Latvia and Estonia. Initial contacts have been made resulting in attendance of organized events, info days and signing of voluntary agreements, thus proving success of the initial work.

Interviews and negotiations have been carried out, mostly following info events, resulting in several voluntary agreements and fulfilling the expected results.

All planned events (16 in total with approximately 190 participants) and deliverables have been elaborated and implemented to a full extent, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The information materials did not include the economic aspects as most professional hair care products are often supplied by special contracts and cooperation, which determines the price, based on quantities and bilateral agreements which were often confidential. We were explained that therefore the

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Implementation of an inventory of products used and substance compositions, potential alternatives

Inventory of selection of goods at available at whole sellers of professional cosmetics was carried out; results have been used in the handbook for hairdressers.

Additional inventories will be done if requested at the saloons which agree to get involved in the voluntary agreements.

Better informed hairdressers & beauty salons and car repair shops in the two Baltic States (at least 40 per country) on substances and their impacts

Both target groups have been reached and their information needs assessed. Foreseen information materials have been elaborated and dissemination activities have been carried out.

price can very much differ between saloons and thus there is no point in comparison in actual prices at this stage. The target group was also more interested in the actual substances and their potential effects.

With regards to hairdressers the inventory has been carried out as planned for professional products available in the Baltic market.

As the analysed assortment of constitutes to nearly 90% of supply options to the Baltic hairdressers, it is confident to say that the results, based on this inventory that are included in the handbook for professional hairdressers have an overall coverage.

Concrete inventories at car maintenance facilities have not been carried out due to lack of access to suitable data and ignorance from the target group to address these issues despite repeated communication attempts. A very general overview of hazardous substances found in different types of car care products has been done from available literature and SDS and included in info material for car care professionals.

Both addressed target groups have expressed interest in the presented topics, especially the young professionals. Both, students and their teachers have stated that the prepared materials complement the information already included in the curricula; therefore it is safe to state that the reached target audience is now considerably better informed on HS occurrence in their everyday professional life and on measures how to mitigate the negative effects arising from them.

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Voluntary agreements with at least 10 hairdressers/ beauty salons and 10 car repair shops

Expected results Examined product assortment

Better informed clients

Agreements have been made with the services that have expressed an interest in cooperation.

C3 – Retail stores End result 2 rounds of assortment inventory: - Initial assortment inventory – in total 260 safety data sheets were examined through in order to identify their content of hazardous substances and classification; selected products with less hazardous substances were checked according EU ecolabel/ Nordic swan ecolabel criteria in order to award them special price tag - Revision of product assortment and the list of safer choice price tagged products 6 mailings to households 2 specialized leaflets 1 info stand Internet banner linked to the project website Special price tag “Safer choice – less hazardous substances”

Strengthened environmental 94 trained shop assistants in 16 performance profile of Rautakesko shops Rautakesko 1 additional training in Latvia (2015) 1 special handbook (in Latvian) for shop assistants

Number of agreements (15) with hairdressers has been exceeding the initial plan; however, there have not been any agreements with car repair shops due to lack of interest from the target audience despite several communication attempts, as described in the C2 action report.

Evaluation The activity was successfully and fully implemented.

Additionally second round of assortment inventory was done to revise the list of safer choice price tagged products.

That activity was an important basis for the other activities implemented during the action.

Although only two specialized leaflets were elaborated, several additional activities – e.g. two more mailings to households implemented by the project team - fully meet the information needs of customers. The audiences reached by mailings (~260 000 addressees in Latvia and in Estonia, in total more than 500 000) and info stands were many times larger than the group of people which could be potentially reached by leaflets. Therefore it can be assumed that more clients were better informed as a result of the implemented awareness raising activities.

Trainings for shop assistants were the core activity to strengthen environmental performance profile of Rautakesko. In total 94 shop assistants were trained in all 16 Rautakesko shops

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throughout Latvia and Estonia.

In Latvia a special handbook for shop assistants was also elaborated and disseminated to trainees. The book was also stored in Rautakesko; therefore it can be used for trainings for new staff. The activity was very successful because all shops, in all regions of the countries, were covered, as well as almost all shop assistants who work with particular products were trained. Furthermore, it was noticed by the project team that the level of knowledge of shop assistants was much higher after one and a half years of the campaign in comparison of what was detected during the survey before the first round of trainings.

C4 - Youth Expected results Youth is getting informed about hazardous substances - the total amount of pupils which can be addressed is ca. 4600

Youth is taking action to change consumption pattern, ca 23 000 persons are addressed via different networks

End result Special lessons about hazardous substances were carried out for all school grades – in EE in 34 schools for higher school grades and for gymnasium; in LV in 20 schools for primary school grades; in total approximately 3500 - 4000 pupils were reached (approximately 2800 in Estonia and approximately 1200 in Latvia); additionally lectures in ecoschools and for children in the kindergartens with approximately 300-400 listeners were carried out Approximately 4000 pupils and 200 students who got practical and theoretical lessons during the project assumingly talked about their experience and obtained knowledge to their friends via social networks, each pupil or student on average to 5 persons which in total makes approximately 21000 persons who have heard about the topic.

More than 50% from the 216 pupils who filled questionnaire after the special lessons answered “yes� when they were asked have they talked to their families and/or

Evaluation Project goal is achieved, the predicted number was reached

Pupils who were involved in the project were well informed about the hazardous substances problem and willing to take actions in order to change their or family/friends consumption patterns; the obtained knowledge and experience were also disseminated through social interaction networks.

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Young teachers (amount of teachers 40 per country) are prepared to give lectures and exercises on the substances of concern

Training kit developed

Expected results Policy makers in the three Baltic States have met and discussed the action needs in their countries with regard to management of hazardous substances

The three countries contribute to the revision of the HELCOM BSAP hazardous substance chapter; the lists of POPs of Stockholm Convention and other international fora; project team is taken as dialogue partner for competent authorities

friends about this topic and about 30-40% from answers indicated that their family or friends consider buying different products in the future compared to current situation.

Trainings to young teachers were conducted during the 3 years (in 3 rounds) in TLU and in LIEPU; additionally also acting teachers in EE and LV were trained; all together 175-200 students (140 in TLU and 60 in LIEPU) and 100-120 acting teachers (75-80 in Estonia and 30-40 in Latvia) got the information; schools took active role in promoting the topic in the classes, there were special courses in two Estonian schools at gymnasium level during one year - theoretical lessons with practical exercises; 72 pupils were involved in these courses.

Teacher’s handbook with theoretical and practical parts in EE, LV and ENG languages prepared and delivered to future teachers and to acting teachers.

C5 - Policy End result Active dialogue with policy and decision makers initiated, round table seminars with facilitated discussions have been held in each Baltic State, all together 6 round tables with 88 participants. The action needs discussed, among others restrictions to substances which are suspected to be EDCs and implementation of REACH Article 33 Project team shared information and gave concrete advice within their lobby work to specialists in ministries and other competent authorities of 3 countries who are dealing with management of hazardous substances and working on international and national policy making, e.g. with REACH, HELCOM, POPs Stockholm Convention. Team introduced the findings from tests to specialists who attending relevant working meetings and showed a clear need to revise the lists and include more substances of concern.

The activity was successfully and fully implemented.

Additionally the 3rd round of trainings for young teachers was done. Also the acting teachers were informed and trained.

The activity was successfully and fully implemented.

Handbook was delivered additionally also to acting teachers.

Evaluation Project goal is achieved, policy makers and decision makers have met, facilitated discussions have been held

Specialists and decision makers were well informed about the hazardous substances problem, project messages evaluated as positive, they were willing to take actions

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Information materials printed and distributed

Expected results 2-3 round table events with 5-10 journalists in each per country

45 media contacts (15 in each country)

Expected results High attention from the public due to the action;

National authorities considered project team as a partner due to the good visibility and awareness raising actions in the project Two leaflets on hot topics as EDCs and consumers right to know about the hazardous substances in products were produced and delivered to decision makers at project events or during lobby work; the printed versions of Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian leaflets and ENG pdf templates.

C6 – Media work End result 7 media round tables with 57 participants

58 press releases, ready-to-publish articles and other information materials were elaborated and sent to media (since press releases usually are sent out to list of different media it multiplies the number of contacts).

A lot of media requests (phone calls, interviews, e-mails) which resulted in the significant publicity (471 articles/reportages).

Approximately 50 journalists were contacted during the events.

C7 – Test your environment End result High attention from the public to the project was achieved due to the testing action.

The activity was implemented, all information materials distributed

Evaluation The meetings were held with different success - some were more attended, some – less but it should be mentioned that the participation of journalists at the events does not correlate directly with the publicity gained afterwards (usually the publicity was much wider).

The expected result was exceeded many times in all 3 countries. It is worth mentioning that not only the project team contacted the media but also vice versa. The large part of the articles/reportages (in total 471) was the result of successful media contacts.

Evaluation The presentation of blood, dust, air and products sampling test results helped to achieve media involvement and was reflected very widely via all media channels. Public of Baltic States became more informed about the topic of hazardous substance in products, this is also showed

by Eurobarometer 2014 survey (detailed report in action C1 report).

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Established contact to some celebrities with intention to involve them also at later project stage

Results from samples analysis.

Expected results All courses held and no drop out of participants

20 volunteers participated in blood tests. The dusts from the same 8 volunteers from Lithuania were tested. Some of them were wellknown celebrities like Lithuanian singers Jurgis Didžiulis and Erica Jennings-Didžiulis and Environment Vice-Minister Linas Jonauskas.

Among the volunteers from Estonia were well-known journalist, wellknown politician (member of Parliament from Social Commission who deals with chemicals policy), specialists from Ministry of Environment who dealing with hazardous substances, environmental scientist dealing with hazardous substances and marine protection. Others were eco-friendly active citizens.

Results from blood, dust, air, products sampling analysis received.

D1 - Training of shop assistants End result The training courses were held differently than originally planned – instead of central training the BEF experts made trainings at shops.

25-30 persons per country (ca 3 shop assistants per branch of the company in EE and LV plus head quarter staff) attended the training coerces and passed a small exam at its end

Totally 94 shop assistants were trained in several trainings.

Additionally to the shop assistants also shop managers were trained which is essential for assuring that the information stays at the branch.

All trainees state substantial increase of knowledge

The knowledge of trainees was evaluated before and after the

The recruitment of celebrities was very successful and helped to attract public attention.

All results highlighted the presence of hazardous substances in products, environment and body and were used in other project actions. The results were also presented for public in electronic report “Test your Environment!” (pdf; ENG, EE, LV, LT) Evaluation Regardless that the set up of trainings was different the number of participants and interest from sales persons was bigger than thought. With decentralising the trainings the number of people was higher and we avoided the drop out effect.

The training courses were held several times to guarantee that also new employees will be trained. The activity was very successful because all shops, in all regions of the countries, were covered, as well as almost all shop assistants who work with particular products were trained.

Trainings for shop assistants were the core activity to

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Expected results - Activists from Baltic NGOs have gained knowledge by the training courses and onsite practice at international fora; 3 persons from each BEF office (9) and 3-5 persons from other NGOs from each Baltic State (9-15) attend the three training courses – additionally 4 persons from RU and/or BY: - In total ca. 25 persons received 3 x 2 days training, and evaluated the training positively and gave feedback that their knowledge has increased (questionnaire).

- Baltic NGOs have been represented at REACH, HELCOM and POPs Convention working group sessions where NGO participation was allowed and participated actively in those meetings; At least 2 persons per Baltic State and 1 person each from RU and BY (8 persons) participated in 3-5 international working group events as indicated above.

trainings. Evaluation results are in strengthen environmental the assessment report of E1 action in performance profile of Annex 7.2.2.4.1 Rautakesko. Furthermore, it was noticed by the project team that the level of knowledge of shop assistants was much higher after one and a half years of campaign in comparison of what was detected during the survey before the first round of trainings.

D2 – NGO training End result Evaluation - During the course of the three During the course of the three trainings 40 activists were trained trainings 40 persons from the face-to-face; indirectly the Baltic States and Belarus and information on lobby work reached Russia received 3x2 days a about 100 NGO people; on site face-to face trainings; it was practice could be given to 3 BEF staff not manageable to bring the members (1 at ICCM3, 2 at EEB foreseen number of people (6 meeting) person of the Baltics and each 1 of RU and BY) to an international forum; this was caused by the fact that WECF took part in meetings outside Europe where the number of participants is limited and it is extremely difficult to get additional places. Nevertheless BEF gained practical experience at ICCM3, ECHA, and in the European political stage in Brussels. The feedback from the participants made via an questionnaire was mainly positive or showed more interest on further input of things which were missed, e.g. in the first training.

Instead of the POPs Convention SAICM is a multi-stake holder meetings held in Geneva, BEF took process and NGOs are one of part at ICCM3; BEF were introduced the stakeholders - BEF gained to EEB and took part at one meeting. special experience in this process, even more that in BRS COPs. Even if there was only one person from BEF taking part, we managed to multiply the experience gained and spread it widely.

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- Experiences and discussion topics from those international events have been reflected back home to the NGO unions/fora in the Baltic States (presentation, discussion rounds);

All experiences which were made were presented and discussed in the partner meetings.

- A few Russian and Completely fulfilled Belarusian NGO representatives have participated in the action and the knowledge and experience can be seeded in those countries.

F1 - Project website Expected results End result Overall information about Development of website was done in the project two stages. First stage was to develop on website project website within first 6 months (deadline in the application was 31.03.2012). Second step was to launch an advanced and more functional project/campaign website.

End result can be seen: www.thinkbefore.eu www.pagalvok.lt www.padomapirmcperc.lv (www.thinkbefore.by) Partner`s websites linked All project partners have a short with each other and filled reference and a link to the project with project information website.

Regular updates, news, Information was continuously project deliverables and uploaded to the website. All relevant results placed on the website information regarding project activities has been uploaded.

F2 - LIFE+ information boards Expected results End result Boards produced: In the context of this project the 10 (LV) + 10 (EE) at retailers project team has defined the term 10 (LV) + 1+ (EE) boards at “information board” as follows: since schools and libraries the campaign project is different 10 (LT) boards at libraries and from classical LIFE projects the form municipal public health info and format of the information board centres. has been defined depending on the specific needs of each campaign and therefore varies. The form and format of the information boards have been chosen to maximise the attractiveness to their target audience, ease of use (and re-use), cost-effectiveness and possibility to reach as many people as possible.

We got a positive echo in the meetings.

CTC Sp. (Russia), TOXI (Russia), IPO "Ecoproject Partnership", (Belarus) and NGO “Belarussian Society of Consumers Protection” (Belarus) participated on the trainings.

Evaluation Implemented 100%. 80 424 unique visitors and 97 791 visits to the project websites in the Baltic States within project lifetime January 2013 – September 2015.

Implemented 100%

Implemented 100%, The national websites continue to provide information about hazardous substances in everyday products.

Evaluation The information boards foreseen in the application have been reached and even more. Instead of originally foreseen 20 boards in Estonia, Latvia and 10 in Lithuania the number is much higher in all countries. Additionally to the mentioned ones in all countries also street campaign was carried out which was not originally foreseen in the application.

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Expected results Layman´s report in four languages

The information boards have been designed so that the same design can be used for different formats (e.g. roll-up, A5 poster or bigger/smaller, etc. depending on the possibilities and current needs). Also the project team decided that each country can develop different information boards, keeping in mind that main project visibility elements must be used.

F3 - Layman´s Report End result Evaluation The layman´s report was developed The BaltInfoHaz layman´s and printed in four languages. report summarises in short all project campaigns and gives overview of main substances that should be avoided in everyday products. As the website is not classical project website also the layman´s report has added value – it contains small wallet cards that can be used by people every day.

F4 - Final Project Presentation Expected results End result 3 events held and attended In total 4 final events were held – one by more than 40 persons per in each country and one Baltic wide. country

Evaluation The project results were summarised in events that took place in the last quarter of the project. In Latvia and Lithuania the events took place in frame of different kind of family or environmental fairs. The project team used the possibilities to get closer to the target group and invited different stakeholders to attend the meeting. The later is also the reason why the originally planned approach was changed compared to the application. In Estonia the final project presentation was more traditional seminar like as there was no suitable event at that time where the project results could have been introduced. In total more persons participated in the events than originally foreseen.

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5.4 Analysis of long-term benefits Environmental benefits a) Environmental benefits of information campaigns are not easy to assess, especially in quantitative terms. To evaluate this, two sets of measurements were applied: “soft” (e.g. increase of awareness among selected stakeholder groups, changes in consumption patterns) and “hard” (quantitative reduction of hazardous substances put in the market due to changes in sales of particular product groups). The “soft” measures are more typical for information campaign evaluation and were more widely used also in case of the BaltInfoHaz project. Several long-term direct effects have been initiated by the project and have been assessed by these measures:  A significant part of young hairdressers have been educated about safer product choice and effects of hazardous substances on themselves and their clients. The addressed audiences have shown a great interest in this topic throughout events organized by the project. We see this as the best way to invest in long-term hazardous substance reduction potential in this sector, as the young professionals are gradually taking over the labor market and implementing what they have learned.  Long-term effects can also be noticed in retail construction market segment. Shop assistants of the K-Rauta market chain have been educated in recognizing hazardous substances in goods they sell and advising customers in safer choice. Even if the trained persons change retail chains, they still carry the knowledge with themselves. For the new employees a special handbook has been prepared in Latvia and is distributed by KRauta management when they start their work.  Young teachers and pupils are definitely one more target group where long-term effects can be noticed – the trained teachers and their pupils have been very enthusiastic in uptaking knowledge about avoiding hazardous substances in their everyday life by designated exercises designed to be fitting their age. As the number of pupils and thus, through special home exercises also households, is rather large, it gives a high certainty that a significant number of people would uptake safer choice ideas and avoiding hazardous substances in their everyday life, therefore ultimately reducing their amount in the environment.  Media interest and awareness of the general population have been slowly but steadily increasing. This can be seen both by two Eurobarometer surveys «Attitudes of European citizens towards the environment» done in 2011 and 2014. They clearly show that there is an increase of awareness about the chemicals in everyday products in all three countries: in Lithuania by 12 % (51% to 63%), in Estonia – by 13 % (35% to 48%), in Latvia – by 9% (44% to 53%). Also even after project activities and publicity campaigns had ended, the project team continuously got invitations from various media to discuss topics concerning hazardous substances in everyday products. While this cannot be strictly translated to direct environmental benefits, it still suggests that people are interested and concerned about these topics and thinking about their consumption decisions.

Apart from these indirectly measured environmental impacts, in one case also direct environmental benefits could be measured – by analysing K-Rauta store sales data for product groups that were targeted by the project campaigns (paints, varnishes, adhesives). The trends for a period of more than two years clearly indicated the increase of sales of those goods which had the special price tag (containing less hazardous substances) and respective decrease for products that did not have them (for more detailed analysis please see the report on evaluating effectiveness of the project

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campaigns in Annex 7.2.2.5). As a result, following reductions of hazardous substances entering the market could be determined as shown in table 10.

Table 10: Reduction of hazardous substances

Substance

Reduction in LV kg/y

Methyl ethyl ketoxime 25.8 Cobalt bis(225.8 ethylhexanoate) Methylchloroisothiazolinone 0.14 Benzisothiazolinone

0.26

Reduction in EE kg/y

Reduction in EE project total kg

25 25

Reduction in LV project total kg 54.2 54.2

0.12

0.3

0.3

0.25

0.5

0.5

52.5 52.5

At this point there are no indications that these trends would not continue after end of the project implementation. b) The EU legal frame for the safe chemicals management in general (REACH) as well as management of substances hazardous for the water environment (WFD and River basin management plans, Baltic sea strategy and HELCOM activities for the Baltic sea protection) have been in place and enforced in the Baltic States and also the rest of the EU Member States for years now and they seem sufficient and effective. However, considering very fast chemicals market growth, as well as extended timeline for the implementation of current legal requirements still makes the voluntarily green tools (eco-labelling, responsible care codes etc.) and society demands important for reaching better environment quality.

Implementation and enforcement of current legislation at the Baltic States is much focused at the core chemicals industry that produces or synthesizes substances and bigger installations (falling under IPPC/IED requirements) and not enough at smaller downstream user industry and even less at retailers and end users (consumer). However, considering the fact that there are very few chemicals manufacturers in the Baltic States, the reaching the legally set goals for the good environmental quality are highly dependent on the awareness, knowledge and capacities of small chemicals downstream users and consumers. Even though immediate effects on the EU-scale policy acts are not yet visible and cannot be realistically achieved during project implementation life span, we believe that the BaltInfoHaz project has provided an added value for the implementation of the EU legislation, Baltic Sea Strategy and HELCOM activities aiming at hazardous substances free environment.

Furthermore, many products are brought to the Baltic States from other EU countries; therefore the change of consumption patterns in Baltic countries would broaden the market for the hazardous substances free products for EU producers and so facilitate and encourage the positive changes in the business sector in EU. Long-term benefits and sustainability Long-term benefits and sustainability of the BaltInfoHaz project can be described by several types of effects: a) Several addressed target audiences – for example, the state authorities responsible for consumer protection and product safety, with whom the Project consortium have been collaborating closely – have received valuable information on occurrence of or, respectively, the lack of, hazardous substances in several product groups. This means that, during planning their sampling strategies for the next years, it is known at which group’s special emphasis must be paid to, reducing the costs and increasing efficiency. b) & c) General public and specifically addressed target groups (hairdressers and others) will definitely feel long term positive benefits relating to their health due to safer choice of

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goods used in everyday life. This could also very well lead to positive economic benefits because of less medical expenses and work time missed due to professional illnesses. It also gives possibilities for local small scale producers of environmentally friendly products. The small producers have been getting more visible during the project life time and will continue to do so also in future most probably. The consumers are the driving force for changes – if there is need for safer products then also there will be relevant suppliers to respond to this. d) The project leading partners – Baltic Environmental Forum – is continuing to give information about hazardous substances in our environment. We have started new LIFE+ project about REACH which is targeted to producers (we address the suppliers side) as well starting a Baltic Sea Region project NonHazcity. In later we will keep informing people about hazardous substances but will also concentrate more on local authorities and their possibilities as consumers. The WECF is continuing the cooperation with BEF offices to keep the foot on door for international conferences and events as well they do active work in Central European countries. WECF is also trying to find possibilities to translate and adapt the teachers´ handbook to other languages. K-rauta stores have in general taken environment as one of the priorities and are discussing at the moment how to communicate the environmental information better to consumers. Our partner universities continue using the teacher´s handbook for new students as well via them it will reach also more pupils.

Replicability, demonstration, transferability, cooperation BaltInfoHaz provided a lot of valuable information materials and the BEF offices have been recognized in the Baltic States as information source on hazardous substances in consumer goods – continuous media communications are ongoing even after project end (radio interviews, media articles). Several magazines and internet media have individually taken up the information presented in the shopping guides and other materials prepared by the project, referring to the project. All prepared materials have been prepared in a way that further dissemination and replication is possible without direct involvement or consultancy from the project consortium.

Some external stakeholders from other EU countries (e.g. Finland) have expressed a strong interest in taking up some of the ideas (e.g. approach in reaching general public and specific stakeholder groups, form and content of information materials, etc.) and approaches tested in the BaltInfoHaz project. The project team has been visited by the responsible Finnish institution (TUKES) and there is a strong possibility that they will implement some similar approaches (e.g. small-scale information leaflets to selected target groups, materials aiding in safer purchasing decisions, etc.) in informing the general public in frame of the Finnish national strategy.

The BEF team has succeeded to lift its campaign up to the Baltic Sea Region level: a new project, called “NonHazCity”, has been approved by the INTERREG BSR program; it aims at reduction of hazardous substances from urban sources - utilities, municipal entities, small services, craft shops and the inhabitants of various towns. The new partners from Sweden, Finland, Poland and Germany find the “think before you buy” campaign appealing and agreed to transfer it into their languages, so the website thinkbefore.eu will add up four more languages: Swedish, Finnish, Polish and German.

The campaign’s corporate design will be developed further and seen in the whole Baltic Sea Region.

Furthermore, the project ideas and materials have been transferred also outside the EU in the Baltic Sea Region - during BaltInfoHaz lifetime a daughter project has been developed for Belarus, BelHazCampaign (http://belhazcampaign.bef.ee/), funded by EuropeaAid and implemented 2013 – 2015. The project has implemented a selection of the BaltInfoHaz activities (mostly those addressed to young families, hair dressers and teachers/schools, not those addressed to politicians and retailers) and adapted the campaign elements to Belarusian circumstances. This project could be seen as an extension of the BaltInfoHaz project to a country outside the EU – the idea and

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information presented was rather similar, however the format, in some cases – different (e.g. info days were held together with Consumer Rights Protection Center at shopping malls where anybody interested could come up and ask their questions).

The successful application of the project concepts and materials and interest from stakeholders from other areas than the Baltic States gives a good indication that the elaborated materials and approaches have a high transferability potential to a high degree of geographical dispersion (e.g. whole Baltic Sea region) and an application potential also in campaigns on similar topics in different product groups or sectors (e.g. food products).

Best practice, innovation and demonstration value Judging by the rather convincing results achieved and positive feedback from the target audiences, several project outputs and used approaches in organization of information campaigns in specific locations and for specific target groups could be seen as innovative and serve as best practice examples for similar future campaigns:  Campaign at retail stores with specific Safer choice price tags and better informed sales assistants regarding hazardous substances thematic had not been done before (at least not in the Baltics) and has proven to have measurable positive effects even in places where such information could be seen as potentially having negative impacts on sales or distorting free market or fair competitiveness.  Campaigns in reaching target groups that have never been addressed before or are reluctant to uptake such information (in the BaltInfoHaz case – hairdressers, car repair mechanics) – even though there are objective and subjective factors (e.g. exclusive contracts with suppliers lack of enforcement and therefore also motivation to change something, pre-conceived negative notions about the topic as such, etc.) hindering effective reach of these groups, the BaltInfoHaz approach with outreach to the educational facilities and young professionals has been successful. While it does not bring immediate impact on the target groups, it has a great long-term value.

Long-term indicators The long term indicators to assess the sustainability of the project are following: - Next Eurobarometer survey on environmental issues and keeping the alertness regarding chemicals around us; - Annual checkup of REACH art 33 right to know; - Follow-up of the hairdressers that signed the voluntary agreements - do they continue, increase or decrease their activities of using these non-HS products; - Number of students/ pupils who have got the special lesson about hazardous substances; - Number of visitors of the thinkbefore.eu website.

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6. Comments on the financial report Detailed information about financial issues have been not published in the public version of this report.

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