On March 15, Tampere Regional Solid Waste Management’s board members made the decision to invest in the construction of a bioplant in Nokia’s Koukkujärvi waste centre. The facility will handle the biowaste of its 17 stakeholders, as well as Nokia’s wastewater. The facility will produce biogas and natural fertiliser.
In total, the value of the investment will surpass 23 million euros. Additionally, the venture has received 4.55 million euros from Ministry of Economic Affairs. The multi-purpose facility will be unique to Finland and marks a significant improvement to the company’s processing services. Planning and construction will begin immediately, and the facility will begin operations in 2020. The investment decision also includes options for pressurising the produced biogas and a refuelling station in the Koukkujärvi area.
Tampere Regional Solid Waste Management Ltd. and Nokian Vesi Oy have entered into a cooperation agreement under which the waste management company will handle the sludge from Nokia’s new wastewater treatment plant, as well as wastewater generated by Nokian Vesi’s bioplant. The facility will treat up to 34,000 tonnes of biowaste and sludge yearly (24,000 t/a biowaste, 10,000 t/a sludge). The construction of the wastewater treatment plant is expected to be completed soon after the bioplant ¬¬— approximately 2022.
The plant will replace the Tarastenjärvi compost facility and the new technology will derive even greater environmental benefits from biowaste. Biowaste and sludge will be handled separately within the facility, making it possible to further process the biowaste into organic fertiliser and allowing for high-level nutrient cycling with nitrogen and phosphorous. The resulting biogas is a renewable energy source that can be used as a substitute for fossil fuels. The amount of methane in biogas annually corresponds to approximately 2.5 million litres of liquid transport fuels, so the use of biogas in transport significantly reduces CO2 emissions.
The bioplant is part of Koukkujarvi’s environment-based ECO3 Circular Economy Centre in Nokia, a nationally significant bio-, water and circular economy business area. The area is also a centre of expertise and pilot environment developing alongside businesses and universities.
More information: Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto Oy Managing Director Harri Kallio, tel. +358 40 842 2600