Circular economy spring tour starts with excursion to Fortum

Our energy and materials technology students started their spring tour with an excursion to Fortum’s circular economy village in Riihimäki. It is a pioneering example of future waste management. We were guided through how municipal waste is separated to biowaste, plastic, metal and fuel for their waste-to-energy plant. And we got our hands on recycled plastic from their Plastic Refinery.

Student Christofer Enlund said “Interesting place. They recycled quite a lot, making a lot of plastic granules. Also communal heating for the whole town of Riihimäki. Produced 120 MW of electricity but used a lot less themselves. They reused their water too at some levels.”

Student Resham Tamang added “It was good. I learned some basic things about recycling, such as the steps in recycling plastics into granules and selling to different companies. I remember well the large collection of plastic waste and the working operating the mixed waste claw at the incinerator.”