Hottest day of the year…and we went to a waste landfill site!

What better way to enjoy the hot sunny weather than an excursion to Ämmässuo waste treatment centre in Espoo? Part 3 of the circular economy spring tour saw our engineering students getting up close and personal with more modern waste technology. The old landfill had been completely covered and its released gases are collected for energy production. Biowaste is processed to make horticultural compost and problem waste from private citizens is sorted.

Student Tuomas Kohvakka: “Really interesting to see where our waste goes, especially the biowaste. Interesting to see also the old landfill, which produces a staggering amount of gas. Good that it is used in energy generation. Disturbing to hear that biowaste bags do not compost fast enough, so get removed and incinerated. Could use instead other bags that use less energy and materials to produce.”

Student Alexander Clark: “Nice and interesting. Surprising standing on top of a landfill and it not smelling! Nice to go and see places, getting out of the classroom, and getting an idea of what you can do after university when getting a job.”