Strike and bankruptcy affect waste transportation – This is how residents can prepare

Finnish waste management is known for its good and reliable waste collection and transportation, regardless of the conditions. Waste logistics have been managed through the COVID-19 pandemic, fuel price hikes, and record-breaking snowy winters.

However, waste transportation is now facing two disruptions at the same time, which are reflected in delays in emptying household and commercial waste containers as well as Rinki eco-points.

The family business became insolvent

The family business Jätehuolto Laine filed for bankruptcy on February 10.2.2023, XNUMX, which has affected waste transportation in the area of at least ten municipally owned waste companies, as well as the emptying of waste from some businesses.

YLE reports, that according to the District Court of Central Finland, the company is insolvent. The company has a debt of approximately 11 million euros.

The company has carried out waste transports with the help of 50 waste packers in different parts of Finland. In some areas, Laine had several contracts. According to YLE, for example, in South Karelia, Laine has handled about half of the waste transports in the entire province.

Since replacement equipment and new contractors cannot be found, waste transport has been disrupted. Waste transport has also been prioritized, i.e., the most critical bio- and mixed waste emptyings have been handled first.

“Exceptional situation”

However, in many areas, new contractors have already been quickly found for waste transportation.

This has happened, for example, in the Jyväskylä region. Managing Director of Mustankorkea Esko Martikainen says that Jätehuolto Laine handled two contracts, one of which has now been handled by Lassila & Tikanoja, the other by Urbaser.

Several hundred garbage containers remained empty in the Mustankorkea area at the end of last week, but new contractors were able to fill the emptyings starting Monday (13.2.23).

Waste management company Laine worked as Mustankorkea's partner in transportation for about four years.

Martikainen considers the disruption caused by the bankruptcy to be highly exceptional:

"This is rare, I don't remember anything like this happening before. It's hard to say what causes this," Martikainen ponders.

He sees that the situation for transport entrepreneurs is now made more difficult by exceptional times. The general economic situation is being weakened by the corona virus, inflation, rising interest rates and increased fuel costs.

"I believe that many transport entrepreneurs have the same pain. Municipal companies in different areas have tried to help transport companies due to the increase in fuel prices. In the contracts of municipal companies, it has been possible to negotiate index adjustments more frequently than just once a year. In addition, it must be remembered that municipal companies are stable bill payers for transport partners. The municipal company always pays the invoice to the transport company, whether the properties have money or not."

The strike stopped the evacuations

However, the transport strike that began on Wednesday, February 15.2, will have wider impacts on waste management than the bankruptcy of an individual waste company.

The strike by the Automotive and Transport Workers' Union (AKT) stopped a significant part of waste transport in Finland starting on Wednesday.

The planned week-long labor strike means that the emptying schedules of waste bins may change or some emptying sessions may be missed altogether.

“Not all emptyings can be done by supervisors,” says Esko Martikainen of Mustankorkea.

In Mustankorkea's operating area in Jyväskylä, Laukaa, Muurame and Toivakka, the strike affects more than half of the emptying of waste containers, or approximately 4 waste containers every day.

According to Martikainen, it is fortunate that the strike is happening in the winter. The odors from the waste will not have time to worsen during the week-long strike.

"A disaster cannot occur, even if the emptying of mixed and bio-waste is postponed by two or three days."

During the strike, it is advisable to sort waste more carefully and, if possible, visit the waste bins less frequently.

The strike will affect, for example, the waste transport of large operators such as Lassila & Tikanoja and Remeo.

L&T says that during the strike, waste management will prioritize socially critical items, such as hospital waste logistics and city and municipal sewage networks. In waste transportation, priority will be given to the emptying of bio-, energy- and mixed waste.

The strike is visible at Rinki eco-points

The strike will also affect the operations of Rinki eco-points. During the strike from 15 to 21.2 February, many Rinki eco-points will not be able to be emptied or cleaned.

Some of the collection containers at Rinki eco-points have been emptied in advance since the beginning of the week. If the strike lasts several days, some collection containers will inevitably fill up.

"In such a situation, we ask people to keep their packaging waste at home and bring it to the eco-points only after the strike is over. Packaging waste must not be left on the ground outside the containers, as this can attract animals and further slow down the cleaning and emptying of the points after the strike," reminds Ring's Chief Operating Officer. Pertti Tammivuori.

Text: Elina Saarinen/ Uusiouutiset-magazine

Photo: Tero Pajukallio. Residents should now avoid putting bulky waste in the waste containers, as emptying the containers may be delayed due to the exceptional situation.