In accordance with the 5th call application ("Call for additional activities") launched by Interreg Europe on 1 April, the TANIA partners submitted their application which was successfully admitted on 28 May 2021. The TANIA partners have decided to take the opportunity to apply to fund in-depth activities that link environmental remediation issues with those related to the current global pandemic emergency.
Specifically, there are two complementary issues relevant to the TANIA partners in relation to the relationship between the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) in soils and the relationship between new remediation techniques and the virus. The first is the fate of the virus in anthropised soils, as it can reach the soil surface where it can be destroyed, immobilised, transported or sequestered. The second issue is the impact of the treatment of polluted soils on the fate of viruses. Testing with replacement viruses, both internal and external, is necessary but not simple.
In addition, there is the question of how to adapt exchange methodologies on environmental innovation at a time when people cannot meet. The open question is how public policy can support interactive digital interaction between laboratories regarding research and testing.
The TANIA partners are ready to examine these issues in detail, looking for ways to improve the policy developments already achieved with a reaction to the main challenges and opportunities in 2021.
The acceptance of the application resulted in an extension of the project activities with an additional year from September 2021 to August 2022.
The TANIA partnership is now organising a special project event for early October with a double purpose: on one hand, it will present the successes and the final outputs achieved by the regular project and, on the other hand, it will represent the kick-off meeting of the additional year with the intervention of the main regional stakeholders involved in the extended activities.
Environment, recycling are the main themes proposed on which the participation of TANIA is focused. These activities also meet the requirements of the new Green Deal as well as the themes of the new programming period 2021 -2027 giving further relevance to this participation.
