Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority Helsingin seudun ympäristöpalvelut. HSY s responsibility. Sustainably into the future

Transcription

1 Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority Helsingin seudun ympäristöpalvelut 1 HSY s responsibility 2016 Sustainably into the future

2 Contents Involved in everyday environmental acts 3 Involved in everyday environmental acts 3 Looking to the future 4 Social responsibility Better in co-operation 8 Financial responsibility 13 Responsible utilisation of natural resources and waste 16 HSY is one of the main producers of renewable energy in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area 24 Greenhouse gas emissions 30 Environmental impact on water environments 32 We use procurement to promote material- and energy-efficiency and to look for new innovative solutions 34 Reliable information for residents that encourages environmental responsibility 35 We are actively involved in the everyday lives of the one million residents of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. We produce high-quality drinking water and deliver it to residents reliably. We ensure the efficient treatment of the wastewater generated. We produce waste management services in an environmentally responsible manner. Almost all domestic waste is utilised in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. We measure air quality in the area and report it in real-time. We provide these services as efficiently as possible while preserving the environment. For our own part, we promote the utilisation of materials and nutrients as well as the circular economy. It is our goal to improve the state of the environment. We are also a significant environmental actor. We campaign for environmental issues and provide guidance to residents on waste sorting, among other things. We help the area s residents, companies and communities to act for a better environment. With the regional and environmental information we produce, we help decision-makers, planners and research institutes create a healthy and pleasant urban environment.

3 4 Looking to the future Our vision is to produce responsible, effective and evolving water services, waste management and regional environmental information services for the needs of the growing population, for the benefit of the residents and environment. With responsible operating methods, we help ensure that the Helsinki Metropolitan Area remains a healthy, safe, attractive and vibrant environment for residents as well as for the companies operating there. HSY s water and waste management services are essential public utilities whose reliability and long-term financial viability is vital for the everyday life of the more than one million residents of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and the companies operating in the area. We are committed to the principles of sustainable development We are committed to the principles of sustainable development, taking the environment, people and the economy in to account in all of our decision-making and operations. Environmentally responsible operations at HSY mean that we take care of our environment by improving the area s material- and energyefficiency, by increasing the utilisation of waste and by reducing nutrient and greenhouse gas emissions. We are aware of the environmental impact of our operations and we report on them openly and honestly to all our interest groups. Our personnel are aware of the environmental and occupational safety impact that their work has and they aim to reduce harmful effects. Social responsibility at HSY refers to all the effects of our activities on different population groups and communities. We co-operate widely with various stakeholders. Financial responsibility at HSY means that we plan and monitor the development of our finances carefully so that our equity ratio remains strong and enables us to practise a responsible fee policy, i.e. keep customer fees reasonable. We anticipate factors that could impact our future activities and strive to take into account the changes they bring in the management of our activities and finances in the long term. Responsibility also includes our ethical principles, which bind us all. The ethical principles guide our actions in work tasks, within the work community and in relationships with our customers. They are built on our values, according to which we operate in an open, fair, responsible and customeroriented manner. 5

4 6 Commitments We are committed to several societal initiatives and agreements on sustainable development: The operating system supports management 7 Baltic Sea Challenge Municipal energy-efficiency agreement Climate change control, Helsinki Metropolitan Area Climate Strategy HSY s quality and environmental management systems were certified in The occupational health and safety standard was certified in Our management system meets the international quality and environmental requirements (ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, OHSAS 18001:2007). Adapting to climate change, Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for Helsinki Metropolitan Area Society s Commitment to Sustainable Development

5 8 Social responsibility Better in co-operation Happy and competent personnel in work involving great responsibility Our work has great social significance and a great impact on people s wellbeing. 9 Social responsibility refers to all effects of our activities on different population groups and communities. We co-operate widely with various stakeholders. The aim of our stakeholder dialogue is to: Determine the expectations of various communities towards our activities. Provide our stakeholders with accurate information about the impact and responsibility of our activities. Leverage our stakeholders expertise and help find new solutions for better integration of the viewpoints and interests of different parties. Happy personnel who strive for great achievements and are capable of change are our key resource. We define occupational wellbeing as employees positive experience of how work is going and how they feel they are physically, mentally and socially. Healthy and safe working conditions that promote occupational capacity create good preconditions for occupational wellbeing. Our occupational health and safety system was certified in 2016 (OHSAS ). We support the competence development of our personnel. Competence development also supports occupational wellbeing. Our most important stakeholders include our personnel, customers, local residents and building managers, member cities, authorities, nongovernmental organisations and trade associations, subcontractors and partners as well as research institutions and higher education institutes. We have signed the diversity charter and are involved in the work of Diversity Charter Finland: We offer equal opportunity We recognise and utilise individual competence and needs We manage personnel and customer relationships fairly We communicate our goals and achievements

6 10 Future experts for the environmental field We actively co-operate with educational institutes and students of the fields most relevant to our activities. We organise temporary work training for students, such as practical training and work experience (TET) periods, and commission final theses. We develop joint research and development projects with schools and higher education institutes. We organise various student visits and visits by teachers and guidance counsellors. We contribute to school instruction for example through giving lectures and organising HSY s school sponsor activities. We also co-operate with guilds and student unions and organise apprenticeship training. Paving the way to working life We are involved in the activities of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Reuse Centre. The Reuse Centre is a social enterprise that takes responsibility for environmental and social matters. The company s principles include promoting reuse as well as offering low-threshold access to working life for people with disabilities and social exclusion issues. The company restores and supplies recycled items and provides environmental information, training and consulting services. Organising different kinds of events and themed days is a significant part of its activities. The Reuse Centre s Environmental School Polku implements HSY s school sponsor programme, among other things. 11

7 12 Residents involved in development Each year, we ask our customers how satisfied they are with our services. Financial responsibility 13 The 2016 customer satisfaction survey was carried out as a panel survey. The feedback indicates satisfied customers: There were 1,128 respondents in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen. According to the survey, people are pleased with our services. 75 per cent of the respondents gave HSY s activities a fairly good or very good grade. Financial responsibility covers the sustainability of our activities as well as our financial impact beyond our organisation. Financial responsibility at HSY means that we plan and monitor the development of our finances carefully. We anticipate factors that could impact our future activities and strive to take the changes they bring into account in the management of our finances in both the short- and long term. We develop our services through service design together with our customers. We conceptualise our services and adjust our activities towards better customer-orientation. We develop our investment management system. We plan our investments to optimise the use of limited investment funds and in terms of the urgency and impact of investments. We also develop the anticipation of our investment needs. We model 10- and 20-year investment needs and strive to finance them in a way that maintains our good reliability and equity ratio and enables us to practise responsible fee policy, i.e. keeping customer fees reasonable far into the future. Our operations have a significant impact on the regional economy of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. We employ 750 people, and our annual service and material purchases amount to over 250 million euros.

8 14 Blominmäki wastewater treatment plant Ämmässuo waste treatment centre 15 The total cost estimate for the Blominmäki wastewater treatment plant is 371 million. The observation of environmental aspects is key in the planning, implementation and commissioning of the project. After its completion in 2021, the Blominmäki wastewater treatment plant will replace the Suomenoja wastewater treatment plant. It will treat the wastewater of 400,000 residents of Espoo, Kauniainen, Kirkkonummi, Siuntio and Western Vantaa. The commissioning of the treatment plant will significantly improve the treatment efficiency of wastewater, reducing the resident-specific nutrient load on the Baltic Sea. Our goal is to remove from wastewater over 96 per cent of phosphorus and organic matter as well as over 90 per cent of the nitrogen it contains. The treatment results will be the best in Finland and in the entire Baltic Sea region. In addition, the plant will be the most energyefficient treatment plant in Finland and possibly in all of Europe. The total amount of investments planned for Ämmässuo in is approximately 40 million. Significant investments are allocated, for example, to biomass processing and the utilisation of biogas. The renovations of the composting facility and the biogas facility ensure the operational reliability of the plants and continuing environmentally-friendly operations. Environmental impact is also mitigated by investing in the gas collection and water management systems of the landfills and by constructing dense landfill surface structures. The goal is to reduce environmental hazards. The preparations for extreme weather conditions include the renovation of the area s wastewater equalising basin and constructing a new equalising basin for the area s wastewater. The field capacity and renewable energy will be increased.

9 16 Responsible utilisation of natural resources and waste We reduce the amount of mixed waste and increase the material and reuse ratio of waste 17 We take care of our environment by improving the area s material- and energy-efficiency, by increasing the utilisation of waste and by reducing nutrient and greenhouse gas emissions. We aim to reduce the amount of mixed waste, improve sorting and increase the overall utilisation ratio of domestic waste. We have made significant investments, for example in the treatment of separately collected biowaste and in Sortti Stations. We have also issued new waste management regulations. As a result of the actions taken, the area has comprehensive sorting opportunities, which are being developed further. In 2016, we investigated the separate collection of plastic packaging at properties. Approximately 96 per cent of the domestic waste of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and Kirkkonummi is reused as material or in energy production. The waste utilisation rate has been increased by the area s comprehensive waste sorting opportunities and the start-up of the wasteto-energy plant in In 2015*, approximately 48 per cent of the domestic waste of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area was reused as material, or recycled. On 1 January 2016, responsibility for recycling points was transferred to producers in accordance with the Government Decree on Packaging and Packaging Waste. We have signed an agreement with Finnish Packaging Recycling RINKI Ltd regarding co-operation in organising packaging waste collection in HSY s operating area in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and Kirkkonummi. Reducing waste amounts and harmfulness We encourage waste reduction by means of communication and guidance Preparing for reuse Co-operation with the Reuse Centre Recycling» We make sorting easy at properties and at the Sortti Stations» Material flows to efficient recycling» Biowaste into biogas and soil» Innovations for nutrient recycling» Ekomo a platform for business growth Utilisation as energy or other utilisation» Landfill gas into renewable energy» Domestic mixed waste into district heating and electricity Material-efficiency improves Final treatment Ash and slag treatment With the organic waste landfill ban, the disposal of mixed waste has ended and it is currently used to produce energy in the waste-to-energy plant of Vantaa Energy * In the Waste Flows in Helsinki Metropolitan Area service, the information for 2016 will be ready at the end of 2017.

10 18 Ekomo promoting industrial symbioses 19 In the Ekomo eco-industrial centre, the public and private sector can cooperate according to the principles of industrial symbioses while utilising the extensive investments made in the infrastructure and the material flows. Significant material flows, such as biomass and rock waste, are taken to Ekomo. Ekomo also serves as a pilot platform for companies. Later, the pilots may lead to acquisitions that can serve as important references especially for small companies. HSY as a reference assists in getting orders from companies for similar items, which promotes circular economy investments and the creation of jobs. New business and industrial symbioses Material utilisation Resource wisdom Jobs RDI co-operation Emission reduction

11 20 We make sorting easy Waste containers for recyclable waste are found nearby, often in your own waste container storage area: glass and metal collection is provided in all properties of at least 20 flats and carton and biowaste collection in all properties of at least 10 flats. In 2016, we investigated the separate collection of plastic packaging at properties. In addition, in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and Kirkkonummi, there are HSY Sortti Stations, containers for hazardous waste and approximately 130 recycling points that are maintained by RINKI Oy and HSY. A new Sortti Station to be opened in Jorvas, Kirkkonummi, in 2018 will further improve and expand our services. In the construction of the new Sortti Stations, we take environmental aspects into account by using, for example, green roofs and high-quality recycled materials, by producing the electricity needed for the operations of the station with solar energy and by naturally cleaning the stormwater. Material balance HSY has investigated the balance of its own operations and the materials passing through HSY in The material balance enables the improvement of HSY s operations in operative processes and the use of raw materials. The visualisation of the material flows in HSY s own operations enables the production of high-quality domestic water, sewerage and the treatment of wastewater, and contributes to waste management meeting the environmental requirements cost-efficiently and with wise use of resources. We enable, encourage and enhance the circular economy The circular economy is a wide concept. It is a new economic model where production and use are planned such that no waste is generated and instead, materials and their value are maintained in circulation. The circular economy is often illustrated by describing the natural biological cycle on earth and the technical cycle that occurs through recycling organised by Man. The circular economy covers both. We at HSY promote and utilise both of these cycles in our operations. The technical cycle includes actions based on the waste management order of priority as well as the entire value chain and life cycle of products all the way from design to disposal. The biological cycle involves circulation of natural materials using nature s own circle. For example, putting nutrients back into the soil for plants to utilise is a part of the biological cycle. Production of renewable energy, such as biogas, and waste heat recovery are a part of the circular economy. The water cycle is also one of the world s own natural cycles. At HSY, we are responsible for refining the region s raw water into potable water and for treating wastewater before it is conveyed back into the water ecosystem. We also encourage people to protect the Baltic Sea by advising what should and should not go down the drain so that the sewer network and wastewater treatment processes of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area work optimally and put as little strain on the water system as possible. 21

12 22 Biogas Electricity and heat The sea Päijänne 23 Nutrients Sludge processing Wastewater treatment Stormwater management Water treatment Guidance Information production Biological cycle HELSINKI METROPOLITAN AREA Technical cycle Nutrients Biowaste treatment Waste management Direction for reuse Electricity and heat Disposal Electricity and heat Waste-to-energy plant Ämmässuo Electricity and heat

13 24 HSY is one of the main producers of renewable energy in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area 25 In 2016, we consumed 206,600 MWh of energy. Energy consumption increased by 4 per cent from 2015, when 198,900 MWh of energy was consumed. The increase was due to increasing the utilisation of renewable heat at the Ämmässuo waste treatment centre. Electricity amounted to 57 per cent and heat to 41 per cent of the consumption. In autumn 2016, we signed a new energy-efficiency agreement for In the agreement, we committed to new energy-saving targets: Our minimum target is 7.5 per cent energy savings by 2025 from the level of We have set an intermediate target of 4 per cent by We consume a lot of energy but are also one of the main producers of renewable energy in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. In 2016, our own energy generation amounted to approximately 186,400 MWh. We also sold 26,600 MWh of biogas to be refined into traffic fuel. When gas sales are included, we generated 103 per cent of energy compared to our consumption, meaning that we exceeded our energy self-sufficiency target for 2016.

14 26 We are among Europe s main utilisers of EKOenergy EKOenergy is an international ecolabel for electricity administered by an extensive network of environmental organisations. Using EKOenergy is a part of our responsibility work. We produce almost all of the EKOenergy we consume at our own electricity production facilities. As EKOenergy producers and users, we contribute to the ecolabel s climate and environmental funds, which are used to sustainably increase renewable energy and improve the condition of flowing water areas. EKOenergy decides how the funds are used. HSY s own electricity production was granted the EKOenergy certificate. In 2015, we switched completely to using EKOenergy-labelled electricity, and are one of the biggest EKOenergy users in Europe. Some of the need for heat energy of the wastewater treatment plants and Pitkäkoski water treatment plant is covered by means of heat recovery. Biogas from the Suomenoja wastewater treatment plant is sold as transport fuel. In 2016, 257 kwp of solar panels were installed at Viikinmäki wastewater treatment plant, and 66 kwp at the Vanhakaupunki water treatment plant. In 2017, 400 kwp will be installed at Pitkäkoski. Energy generated by the current of the raw water in the Päijänne tunnel is utilised in Pitkäkoski and at the Kalliomäki power plant of Pääkaupunkiseudun Vesi Oy. Helen s Katri Vala and Fortum s Suomenoja heat pump plants utilise to a great extent the heat energy of wastewater treated by HSY in the production of district heating. 27 Examples of our renewable energy production: Biogas collected from the landfills at the Ämmässuo waste treatment centre is utilised in electricity production at its own gas power plant. Due to the district heating network, the gas power plant also produces all the heat that the waste treatment centre requires. Biogas is produced by digesting biowaste at the Ämmässuo biogas facility and by digesting wastewater sludge at wastewater treatment plants.

15 28 From waste to gain HSY s renewable energy production in LANDFILL AND BIOGAS Ämmässuo waste treatment centre BIOGAS HEAT RECOVERY MWh of biogas. Suomenoja wastewater treatment plant MWh of electricity. MWh of heat. RECYCLED WOOD AND CHIPS MWh of wood for energy production. MWh of heat HYDROPOWER MWh of electricity. Suomenoja heat pump plant SOLAR ENERGY MWh of 120 electricity Ruskeasanta Sortti Station Pitkäkoski water treatment plant Viikinmäki wastewater treatment plant Katri Vala heat pump plant BIOGAS HEAT RECOVERY MIXED WASTE MWh of electricity. MWh of heat. MWh of heat. Vantaa waste-to-energy plant MWh of waste-derived fuel. WASTEWATER HEAT MWh utilised wastewater heat.

16 30 Greenhouse gas emissions We have committed to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Climate Strategy by 20 per cent from the level of 1990 by 2020, and to the revised targets for the Helsinki Metropolitan Area by 2030 and to carbon neutrality by We reduce our greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with our resource efficiency action plan. GHG emissions (t CO 2 -equivalent) Composting Landfill gas Wastewater treatment Vehicles and work machinery Natural gas and oil District heating Purchased electricity 0 Energy sales HSY s greenhouse gas emissions in and that of similar operations in In 2016, our greenhouse gas emissions were 182,300 tco2-equivalent, which amounts to 3.7 per cent of the total emissions of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. In 2015, our emissions were 196,100 tco2-equivalent, meaning that the emissions decreased by 23 per cent from 2015 to The decrease in emissions was mainly due to the decrease in landfill gas fugitive emissions. Our biggest emissions were created by landfill and wastewater treatment processes and composting, because waste and wastewater treatment processes generate a lot of methane and nitrous oxide emissions. In 2016, the share of purchased energy of total emissions was less than 3 per cent. Our own energy production based on renewable energy sources reduces the need for purchase energy and, thus, our emissions. The heat energy produced by us replaces district heating, natural gas and oil. In terms of electricity, in 2015 we switched exclusively to both using and producing EKOenergy-labelled electricity with zero emissions. In terms of purchased electricity, we are emissions-neutral. However, we will continue to pay attention to improving our electricity consumption and energy efficiency.

17 32 Environmental impact on water environments Wastewater treatment is an integral part of protecting coastal waters and the Baltic Sea as the wastewater to be treated includes a great deal of phosphorous and nitrogen nutrients, which, if discharged into the sea, would cause abundant eutrophication. Largest wastewater treatment plants in Finland HSY s wastewater treatment plants in Viikinmäki, Helsinki, and Suomenoja, Espoo, are in charge of wastewater treatment in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. The plants are the largest in Finland and they serve over a million residents in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. The third Blominmäki wastewater treatment plant is under construction. The residents and businesses of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area consume approximately 90 million cubic metres of domestic water per year. The water treatment plants in Vanhakaupunki and Pitkäkoski use water from Lake Päijänne as raw water. The water we use is about one per cent of the lake s discharge. The residents and companies in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area generate a total of 100 million cubic metres of wastewater per year. Wastewater is fed through the sewer network for treatment before being reintroduced into the water bodies. Over 95 per cent of organic waste matter is removed in the treatment process, 98 per cent of phosphorus and per cent of nitrogen. In 2016, HSY s wastewater treatment plants met the operational level according to the environmental permit regulations as well as HSY s own tonne-based goals that are stricter than those of the environmental permit regulations. In 2016, the nitrogen load on the sea was 1,027 tonnes (goal of under 1,400 tonnes) and phosphorus load 32 tonnes (goal of under 45 tonnes). Sludge put to good use The treatment is conducted by means of a biochemical process that produces sludge and biogas as by-products. The sludge is processed into soil, and the gas is utilised as an energy source. The treated wastewater is fed through a tunnel into the sea. One by-product of wastewater treatment is biogas, which is utilised in our own energy generation. In 2016, the electricity production volume at Viikinmäki was the biggest in the history of the plant, and the equity ratio of its electricity generation was over 70 per cent. The gas produced at the Suomenoja wastewater treatment plant was sold for traffic fuel in accordance with an agreement signed with Gasum. The sludge generated by wastewater treatment is refined into soil and soil conditioner. The amount of water is being reduced Our goal is to reduce the amount of water pumped into the network by decreasing the number of leaks. Leak water is water that leaks from a pressurised water pipe due to pipe breakage, for example. Hidden leaks not visible on the surface form a significant part of leak water. 33

18 34 We use procurement to promote materialand energy-efficiency and to look for new innovative solutions Reliable information for residents that encourages environmental responsibility 35 We apply legislation on public procurements to our purchases. Our main principles are the creation of competition, the equal and nondiscriminatory treatment of tenderers as well as openness and proportionality. We help the area s residents, companies and communities to act for a better environment. We advise and provide information on important environmental themes. In our choices, we strive for the result with the most favourable impact and the best end result. Our procurement process is guided by a systematic approach, goal orientation and economy. We take into account the principles of sustainable economy, innovation, material and energy efficiency, environmental impact and the customer s preparation needs at different stages of our procurements. This covers the subject of the invitation to tender, the suitability of tenderers and specification of assessment criteria as well as co-operation during the agreement period. We communicate about the services connected to HSY s waste management and water supply services and help residents and companies of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area reduce their carbon footprint by reducing their energy consumption and improve resource efficiency. It is our goal to improve the state of the environment. With the regional and environmental information we produce, we help decision-makers, planners and research institutes create a healthy and pleasant urban environment.

19 Learn more about our GRI G4 Core reporting (Only available in Finnish.): hsy.fi/vastuullisuus HSY 2016 Personnel 740 Operating income, operating expenses and investments 354 million / 178 million / 166 million Member cities Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen and Vantaa Front cover image: Ämmässuo gas power plant. HSY 10/2017 hsy_fi helsinginseudunymparistopalvelut