Jätekukko and Urbaser use biogas to fuel waste collection

The waste management company Jätekukko and its waste transport provider Urbaser are strengthening the principles of the circular economy in their operations by fueling waste management vehicles with biogas in Kuopio, Finland. Environmental friendliness is at the core of the Jätekukko as well as the Urbaser strategy, so biogas was a natural choice for both. 

Jätekukko is a service company owned by municipalities, with its operating area covering 15 municipalities in North Savo. The company’s services include waste transport services, waste management service advise, and sorting stations. Urbaser is an environmental management service provider operating nationwide in Finland. The growing gas filling station network supported the company’s decision to invest in biogas-fueled vehicles in Kuopio.

Biogas provides an advantage in competitive bidding

“Before the competitive bidding for Kuopio waste collection, we commissioned a fuel life cycle assessment on the basis of which it was clear that fueling vehicles with biogas is more than sensible from the environmental perspective. Because biogas was ranked as the number one fuel, we also gave extra points for it in our competitive bidding procedures. The role of environmental factors in competitive bidding has increased,” says Managing Director Arto Ryhänen from the waste management company Jätekukko.

The growing popularity of greener alternatives has also been noticed by Urbaser, which runs waste collection for Jätekukko in Kuopio. As a company operating in the environmental sector, Urbaser seeks to take emission reductions into account in all of its activities and at the same time respond to customers’ expectations. Environmental protection is part of the company’s operating principles, now further supported by the decision to invest in biogas.

“The transport sector on the whole has started to pay more attention to emission reductions. We want to invest in an environmentally friendly fleet and intend to increase the number of biogas-fueled vehicles in the future, too. Our customers are increasingly interested in cutting their transport emissions and requiring more environmentally friendly alternatives in competitive bidding procedures,” says Profit Centre Manager Harri Hietala from Urbaser.

Forerunning companies leading the way into the future

“Biogas vehicles are a perfect match to our strategy and values – after all, waste management is part of the circular economy. For example, we collect biowaste from Kuopio households for transport to Gasum's Kuopio biogas plant where it's used as feedstock in biogas production,” says Ryhänen. ”As a company owned by municipalities and therefore a public-sector enterprise, we want to set an example. It’s important that companies like us which have a particular environmental impact provide a concrete contribution to reducing emissions,” Ryhänen continues.

“For Urbaser, sustainability means everyday actions. In addition to using more environmentally friendly vehicles, we also take into account transport distances, carbon dioxide emissions from waste fractions, and traceability of waste streams. Monitoring of driving behavior and route optimization have enabled us to reduce emissions from our transports. I hope that the increasing take-up of new innovations and solutions such as gas will step up progress towards the achievement of emission reduction targets in the future,” says Hietala.

6.4.2020