Finland Times

The Finnish Solid Waste Association (FSWA) estimates that dumping of municipal waste will come to a complete end by 2027.

“This does by no means lead to a closure of landfills, but rather set new regulations for materials which should be taken there,” said  Jukka Salmela, head of operations at Ämmässuo Waste Treatment Centre located at the border between Espoo and Kirkkonummi.

Salmela said, in practice, very little and highly treated waste ends up at the disposal.

Domestic mixed waste from Helsinki area waste management services will no longer be taken to the landfills. Instead, the waste will head to Vantaa waste-to-energy power plant. About one-fifth of the Finns live in the Helsinki Metropolitan area.

“Even though the (waste) plant is operational, we at Ämmässuo receive 30-50 waste trucks every day,” explained Salmela.

The waste goes to the sorting terminal where for instance metal, clean and coated wood and plastic are separated, adds Salmela.

Only five per cent ends up at the landfill. The waste that ends at the landfill is the type which cannot be recycled or put into use.

According to Salmela, such waste materials include porcelain and stone, which are still used in construction purposes at the waste treatment centre.

Waste treatment centres also store asbestos and waste power plant ashes which have high contaminant concentrations.