Cleanup plan awaited for 40,000 tons of waste at Kaipola Recycling site in Jämsä, Finland

In Jämsä, Finland, Kaipola Recycling’s stockpiled waste at the site of a former paper mill continues to await cleanup. Currently, over 40,000 tons of plastic waste and ash are scattered above ground, with transport by truck estimated to require approximately 1,000 loads, based on the standard 40-ton capacity. The Central Finland ELY Centre is expecting a cleanup plan from Kaipola Green Port, the property management company responsible for the site, by the end of September, with the removal of the waste mandated by the end of October. Sohvi Hälikkä, head of the environmental unit, confirmed that no plan has been received yet, although there is a possibility the cleanup timeline may change as more information comes to light.

The large accumulations of plastic and ash stem from waste incineration and storage issues that have plagued Kaipola Recycling from the outset. The company was declared bankrupt in summer 2023, but the bankruptcy was later rescinded, transferring cleanup responsibility to Kaipola Green Port. Martti Inkovaara, chairman of Kaipola Green Port, confirmed that a cleanup plan is being developed and will be submitted on time, though how the waste will be utilized remains unclear.

Presently, another circular economy firm, Kaipola Circular, operates in the area under a trial permit, but it reportedly cannot use the stockpiled waste for plastic oil production due to its pyrolysis method. ELY Centre noted that processing and sorting are necessary for material utilization, and the current situation does not allow for viable use without such treatments.

Estimates for the total waste amount have ranged between 25,000 and 45,000 tons, based solely on visual assessments. Cleanup costs are projected between €1.5 million and €2.5 million, which may decrease if the ash can be repurposed for use in industrial site development, contingent on environmental legislation.