TANIA project partners from the Päijät-Häme Regional Council and the University of Helsinki met with project stakeholders from Finland on 17 May at the University's Department of Environmental Ecology in Lahti. A total of 16 participants representing regulatory authorities, municipalities, research and educational institutions, and private enterprises took part in the meeting.
Presentations regarding the TANIA project and its goals were given by Dr. Martin Romantschuk (Univ. Helsinki) and Marko Mälly (Päijät-Häme), and Dr. Henrikki Liimatainen from the University of Oulu presented information from his research involving the use of cellulose nano-fibers to create materials for use in remediation of petroleum contaminated soil and water.
A discussion of the public opinion of nanotechnologies revealed that there is a degree of unease in the general population regarding the use of these materials. This suggests that more work is needed to educate the public about the benefits of nanomaterials for remediation efforts.
