Waste prevention and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in municipal solid waste management
Our daily waste
About 3 per cent of Finland’s greenhouse gas emissions are caused by waste. Waste prevention and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in municipal solid waste management is an initiative under the Julia 2030 -project that seeks to develop tools for reckoning the greenhouse gas emissions of waste management for use by individuals, local government, businesses and waste management professionals. The project will also develop a waste volume forecasting model for waste management professionals.
For the purpose of the GHG calculators, the Finnish Environment Institute SYKE produced waste component specific CO2 emission factors using LCA methodology. The following documents summarizes the calculation methods of these factors.
GHG emission factors for waste components produced, treated and recovered in the HSY area - Background document for the calculations (pdf, 80 kt)
GHG emission factors for waste components produced, treated and recovered in the HSY area - Background document for the calculations, Annex 1 (pdf, 52kt)
Emmi - a municipal waste forecasting model
Forecasting waste volumes is an important aspect of arranging municipal solid waste management services that are functional, cost-effective and environmentally friendly. The Emmi forecasting model helps to predict growth in municipal waste volumes and to assess factors that affect the volume of waste produced. A calculator for waste volumes and greenhouse gas emissions will also be included in the forecasting model. Emmi helps to specify the aspects of municipal solid waste management that should be emphasised, such as counselling in ways of waste prevention or assessing the environmental impacts of solid waste management.
Konsta - a calculator for household waste
The Konsta calculator enables households to assess the climate impact of waste volumes. Konsta is a tool for reckoning the greenhouse gas emissions caused by household waste and various ways of dealing with it, and comparing the result with emissions data for other households.
Konsta (in Finnish)
The description of Konsta Waste Calculator for households (pdf, 632 kt)
Martti Material Flow Accounting for the Helsinki Metropolitan Area
The Martti system incorporates data on nearly all waste created in the Helsinki Region and on the ways in which waste is processed. A greenhouse gas emissions calculator is due to be included in the Martti system by the end of September 2011. This calculator will provide information for use in municipal waste management planning and for assessing the environmental impacts of solid waste management.
The description of Martti Material Flow Accounting (pdf, 236 kt)
Petra - waste benchmarking for businesses
Petra is a free waste benchmarking system intended for companies and organisations in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, enabling enterprises to compare the waste volumes generated at their places of business with those of corresponding other enterprises operating in the same industry. Petra waste benchmarking system helps to improve the efficiency of solid waste management in organisations and reduce the amount of waste created. A greenhouse gas emissions calculator is incorporated into the Petra system will enable businesses to calculate the emissions caused by their waste processing and compare them to the corresponding emissions of other enterprises in the same industry. The findings may then be used in enterprise environmental reporting.
The description of Petra Waste Benchmarking (pdf, 244kt)