Mare Roosileht, the Director of TalTech Virumaa College and Kalle Pirk, Head of Oil Shale Competence Center

Over the past 20 years, since joining the European Union, Estonia has received support for over 40,000 projects, totaling around 7.6 billion euros from EU structural funds. The State Shared Service Centre organized the campaign "Heartfelt Euro Deed" and encouraged everyone to submit their favorite Euro project for public voting. During the competition, the best 30 projects were selected from hundreds implemented with European Union support from various regions of Estonia. The selection of projects considered their perceptual impact and significance to a specific field, target audience, region, or community.

At the award ceremony held on November 24 at the KAI Art Center, heartfelt thanks were given to all the projects that made it to the top 30 in the nationwide "Heartfelt Euro Deed" competition. Among the winners, the TalTech Virumaa College project, "Expansion of the Oil Shale Competence Center," was also recognized. The project aims to establish a modern circular economy in Kohtla-Järve, applying knowledge accumulated over generations in the processing of oil shale. A method for the thermal treatment of plastic waste has been developed, allowing the use of previous oil shale production technology in a completely new way.

Mare Roosileht, the director of TalTech Virumaa College, emphasizes that the project has been carried out by researchers and chemical engineers from Ida-Virumaa, including college graduates. Their research primarily contributes to improving the environment in Ida-Virumaa and scientific research.

The first place was awarded to the Tartu University Clinic Children's Hospital project, and the second and third places were awarded to the construction of the Tallinn-Tartu highway and the restoration of habitats along the Pärnu River, respectively.