1,723,266 research outputs found
Proficiency test 07/2023 : Leaching behavior test: Two stage batch leaching test
No full textIn summer 2023 Proftest Syke carried out the proficiency test (PT) for the laboratories conducting leaching tests for solid waste material in cooperation with KVVY Tutkimus Oy (LT 07/2023). The results of the two stage batch leaching test (EN 12457-3) for samples of fly ash from recycled fuel and wood were compared and evaluated. The tested measurands were metals (As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, V, Zn), Cl-, SO42-, F-, DOC, pH, conductivity, and TDS. In total there were 10 participants in this PT. Either the median or the mean of the reported results was used as the assigned values for the measurands. The results were evaluated both with z and En scores. In this PT 81% of the results evalu-ated based on z scores were satisfactory when the standard deviation for proficiency assessment was set for pH measurement to 0.3 pH units and for the other measurements to 15–35% depending on the measurement. Altogether 71 % of the results evaluated based on En scores were satisfactory. Warm thanks to all participants in this proficiency test!Pätevyyskoe 07/2023: 2-vaiheinen ravistelutesti
Proftest Syke järjesti kesällä 2023 yhteistyössä KVVY Tutkimus Oy:n kanssa pätevyyskokeen laboratorioille, jotka tekevät liukoisuustestejä jätteiden kaatopaikkakelpoisuuden arvioimiseksi. Ravistelutestiuutteista määritettiin metallit (As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, V, Zn), Cl-, SO42-, F-, DOC, pH, sähkönjohtavuus sekä TDS. Vertailun kohteena oli 2-vaiheinen ravistelutesti (SFS-EN 12457-3) ja näytemateriaalina oli lentotuhka. Pätevyyskokeeseen osallistui yhteensä 10 laboratoriota. Testisuureiden vertailuarvoina käytettiin joko osallistujien tulosten mediaania tai niiden keskiarvoa. Osallistujien pätevyyden arviointi tehtiin z- ja En-arvojen avulla. Tuloksista, jotka arvioitiin z-arvoilla, 81 % oli hyväksyttäviä, kun vertailuarvosta sallittiin pH-määrityksissä 0,3 pH-yksikön ja muissa määrityksissä 15–35 %:n poikkeama. Tuloksista, jotka arvioitiin käyttäen En-arvoja, 71 % oli hyväksyttäviä. Kiitos pätevyyskokeen osallistujille
The state of plastics circularity in Finland 2025 : Review and evaluation of PlastLIFE SIP phase 1
No full textThe list of authors and ISBN number of this report have been updated on 2.12.2025: Enni Ruokamo has been added as the author and the old ISBN 978-952-11-5808-7 has been replaced with a new one: ISBN 978-952-11-5813-1.Re-thinking plastics in a sustainable circular economy – PlastLIFE SIP (Strategic Integrated Project, 2022–2029) aims at a sustainable circular economy (CE) for plastics in Finland by 2035. PlastLIFE pro-motes the implementation of the Plastics Roadmap for Finland (PRfF) by reducing littering and other negative impacts of plastics, refusing from unnecessary consumption of plastics and promoting reuse, increasing recycling and replacing fossil raw material with renewable or recycled materials.
This report presents an overview of the CE of plastics in Finland at the end of the 1st phase of Plast-LIFE. It highlights future priorities for promoting the CE and identifies the needs for additional activities within PlastLIFE and related initiatives.
PRfF (2018, updated in 2022) and its co-operation network have provided a platform and a shared desire for collaboration between plastics value chain actors and public administration to promote CE of plastics. Yet, achieving CE of plastics still requires continuous efforts across all levels of society.
Littering remains a significant problem along Finland’s coasts, where approximately 90% of beach litter consists of plastics. Improving the situation requires more knowledge on litter pathways, as well as the development of methods for identification, monitoring and assessment of impacts.
The greatest challenge in promoting the CE of plastics is reducing unnecessary consumption of plastic, which requires changes in behaviour and the creation of entirely new business environments, for example, to enable reuse and repair. In the plastics value chain, the highest climate impacts occur during material production. Reducing unnecessary plastic consumption mitigates climate impacts, littering, and the spread of hazardous substances into the environment and organisms. So far, the reduction of plastic use has largely relied on voluntary measures, such as Green Deal agreements. However, there is either no available data on their effectiveness, or the data that does exist indicates only minimal change. Stronger policy instruments should be considered and monitoring improved.
Separately collected plastic packaging waste accounts for less than half of total plastic waste. Around 80% of plastic waste is used for energy recovery, which is the second largest contributor of climate impact in the plastics CE. The focus on packaging leaves most plastic waste streams unaddressed. Data should also be gathered on other plastic waste types, their volumes and recycling potential.
Virgin, fossil-based plastic is increasingly being replaced by alternative materials, such as recycled or bio-based plastics, but monitoring this transition remains challenging. The production of alternative materials is strongly influenced by demand, which has not been high so far. Domestic production also faces challenges due to competition from lower-cost materials available on global markets, where the safety and quality of materials cannot always be ensured.
PlastLIFE will during the 2nd project phase continue to finalise its planned activities and collaborate with relevant stakeholders, especially industry. Focus will increasingly be on communicating, disseminating and scaling up the results. Avoiding unnecessary consumption of plastics and increasing reuse shall get more emphasis. Tailored content in communications and events for different audiences helps reach decision-makers, industry and citizens. Participatory communication campaigns will encourage citizens to get involved in promoting CE of plastics.
The future policy efforts to support the CE of plastics should consider the safety of plastics, prevention of plastic emissions and the quality of recycled plastic. Simultaneously, innovation and new business opportunities should be encouraged, e.g., to support reuse. Developing a comprehensive indicator framework is a requirement for monitoring the progress. Finally, securing funding for research is essential to ensure that decision making is based on scientific evidence and that policy instruments are appropriately targeted and effective in the transition towards the CE of plastics.Muovien kiertotalouden tilanne Suomessa 2025 – PlastLIFE SIP -hankkeen ensimmäisen vaiheen arviointi
Muovien kestävä kiertotalous – PlastLIFE SIP (Strategic Integrated Project 2022–2029) tähtää muovien kestävään kiertotalouteen Suomessa vuoteen 2035 mennessä. PlastLIFE edistää Suomen muovitiekartan (engl. lyhenne PRfF) toimeenpanoa vähentämällä roskaantumista ja muita muovien haitallisia vaikutuksia, vähentämällä muovien turhaa kulutusta, edistämällä uudelleenkäyttöä, lisäämällä kierrätystä ja korvaamalla fossiiliset raaka-aineet uusiutuvilla tai kierrätetyillä materiaaleilla.
Tämä raportti luo yleiskuvan muovien kiertotaloudesta Suomessa PlastLIFE-hankkeen ensimmäisen vaiheen lopussa. Raportissa nostetaan esiin muovien kiertotalouden edistämiseksi tulevaisuudessa tarvittavia painopisteitä ja tunnistetaan tarpeita lisätoimille PlastLIFE:ssa ja sitä täydentävissä hankkeissa.
PRfF (2018, päivitetty 2022) ja sen yhteistyöverkosto ovat muodostaneet toimivan pohjan ja tahtotilan yhteistyölle muovien kiertotalouden edistämiseksi muovien arvoketjutoimijoiden ja julkishallinnon kesken. Silti muovien kiertotalouden saavuttaminen vaatii edelleen laajoja ja jatkuvia ponnistuksia kaikilla yhteiskunnan tasoilla.
Roskaantuminen on edelleen merkittävä ongelma Suomen rannikoilla, missä noin 90 % rantaroskasta on muovia. Tilanteen parantaminen edellyttää lisää tietoa roskien kulkureiteistä sekä menetelmien kehittämistä niiden tunnistamiseen, seurantaan ja vaikutusten arviointiin.
Suurin haaste muovien kiertotalouden edistämisessä on muovien turhan kulutuksen vähentäminen, mikä vaatii muutoksia käyttäytymiseen sekä täysin uusien liiketoimintaympäristöjen luomista, esimerkiksi tuotteiden uudelleenkäytön ja korjaamisen mahdollistamiseksi. Muovien arvoketjussa suurimmat ilmastovaikutukset syntyvät materiaalin tuotannosta. Muovin turhan kulutuksen vähentäminen vähentää niin ilmastovaikutuksia, roskaantumista kuin haitallisten aineiden kulkeutumista ympäristöön ja eliöihin. Toistaiseksi muovin käytön vähentäminen on perustunut pääasiassa vapaaehtoisiin toimiin, kuten Green Deal -sopimuksiin. Niiden tehokkuudesta on kuitenkin vain vähän tietoa tai havaitut muutokset ovat olleet vähäisiä. Velvoittavampia politiikkatoimia tulisi harkita ja seurantaa parantaa.
Kaikesta muovijätteestä alle puolet on erilliskerättyä muovipakkausjätettä. Noin 80 % muovijätteestä hyödynnetään energiana, mistä aiheutuu toiseksi eniten ilmastovaikutuksia muovien kiertotaloudessa. Suurin osa muovijätevirroista jää nykyisten pakkauksiin keskittyvien tavoitteiden ja tilastoinnin ulkopuolelle. Tietoa tulisi koota myös muista muovijätteistä, niiden määristä ja kierrätyspotentiaalista.
Neitseellistä, fossiilipohjaista muovia korvataan yhä enemmän vaihtoehtoisilla materiaaleilla, kuten kierrätetyillä tai biopohjaisilla muoveilla, mutta siirtymän seuranta on haastavaa. Vaihtoehtoisten materiaalien tuotantoa ohjaa vahvasti kysyntä, joka ei toistaiseksi ole ollut suurta. Kotimainen tuotanto joutuu kilpailemaan kansainvälisillä markkinoilla esiintyvien materiaalien kanssa, joiden hinta voi olla edullinen, mutta turvallisuus ja laatu kyseenalainen.
Hankkeen toisessa vaiheessa PlastLIFE jatkaa suunniteltujen toimien toteutusta ja viimeistelyä sekä yhteistyötä keskeisten sidosryhmien, erityisesti teollisuuden, kanssa. Painopiste siirtyy yhä enemmän tulosten viestintään, levittämiseen ja skaalaamiseen. Muovin turhan kulutuksen vähentäminen ja uudelleenkäytön lisääminen saavat enemmän painoarvoa. Eri yleisöille räätälöidyt sisällöt viestinnässä ja tapahtumissa auttavat saavuttamaan päättäjiä, teollisuutta ja kansalaisia. Osallistavat viestintäkampanjat kannustavat kansalaisia tulemaan mukaan muovien kiertotalouden edistämiseen.
Politiikan kehittämisessä tulisi edistää teemoja kuten muovien turvallisuus, päästöjen ehkäisy ja kierrätysmuovin laatu. Samalla tulisi tukea innovaatioita ja uusia liiketoimintamahdollisuuksia. Edistymisen seurantaan tarvitaan kattavien indikaattoreiden kehittämistä. Lopuksi, tutkimusrahoituksen turvaaminen on olennaista, jotta päätöksenteko perustuu tieteelliseen näyttöön ja politiikkatoimet ovat kohdennettuja ja tehokkaita siirtymässä kohti muovien kiertotaloutta
Cities can be densified nature-smartly
No full textCity planning is about balancing between different objectives of urban development. Urban densification has been considered a solution that both benefits the economy and curbs climate emissions from transport. However, densification should not lead to a decline in biodiversity nor in the well-being of residents. Studies show that diverse nature close to home has significant positive impacts on people’s well-being
Limiting sulphate load of wastewaters calls for environmental quality standards
No full textThe clean energy transition and the green transition are bringing mining and battery technology industries to Finland. As a result, the sulphate discharges into inland waters and the Baltic Sea will increase. Sulphate also has beneficial effects in water bodies, and sulphate is not currently classified as a harmful substance. However, a high local load may have negative effects on aquatic organisms, especially in lakes with naturally low sulphate concentration. In sea water, sulphate occurs naturally, and organisms have adapted to it better. However, in the brackish waters like the Baltic Sea sulphate may also be more harmful than in oceans. In the Baltic Sea large quantities of sulphate change the cycling of several substances in way that can have harmful effects
Adapting to climate change in Finland : Research priorities. Proceedings of the FINDAPT seminar, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Helsinki, 14 November 2003. FINADAPT Working Paper 1
No full textThis report is an account of a one-day seminar organised at the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) as part of the preparatory phase of the FINADAPT consortium. It was attended by 80 participants from government, research institutions, business and the private sector. The seminar had four main goals: 1) to draw attention to the role of climate change adaptation in complementing emissions reduction (mitigation) as a response to changing climate in Finland, 2) to invite participants representing different sectors and constituencies to present their opinions on the key research challenges posed in adapting to future climate change in Finland, 3) to provide input for the final planning of research projects proposed in the FINADAPT consortium, and 4) to discuss the possible establishment of a national research programme on climate change adaptation.
The report summarises the information presented at the seminar and also records some of the discussion. Section 2 covers the three short introductory presentations, and sections 3 and 4 then describe two moderated panel sessions that had a sectoral focus - four panelists speaking on aspects of the natural environment and four on themes related to infrastructure and human wellbeing.
The experiences of three guest speakers of national climate change research programmes in Norway and the United Kingdom are related in section 5 and section 6 reports the final panel session on themes that cut across the field of climate change adaptation. The concluding session is a summary of some of the main issues and recommendations raised in discussion. The seminar programme and list of participants can be found in the appendices
The 2008 Evaluation of SYKE - The Finnish Environment Institute
No full textThe 2008 Evaluation Panel of the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) assessed (1) the relevance and impacts of SYKE�s activities as a basis for Finnish and international environmental policy; (2) the extent, quality, and balance of SYKE�s activities; (3) SYKE�s renewal and development ability and intellectual agility; (4) SYKE�s role in the Finnish innovation system and SYKE�s national and international collaboration; and (5) the risks and benefits of SYKE�s funding structure.JRC.H - Institute for environment and sustainability (Ispra
Proficiency Test 04/2016 - Taxonomic identification of boreal freshwater lotic, lentic, profundal and North-Eastern Baltic benthic macroinvertebrates
No full textThe Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) conducted a benthic macroinvertebrate taxa identification proficiency test in which 22 participants took part. In the lake littoral subtest, one participant out of seven scored lower than 95% correct and three out of seven achieved perfect results in this test. Half of the ten participants in the lake profundal subtest achieved a score higher than 95%, with four participants scoring a perfect result. In the lotic subtest, two participants out of ten scored 100% and half of the participants scored more than 95% correct. In the Baltic test the average result was 94% correctly identified taxa. Even if the general performance of the participants were good, the results clearly demonstrates the need for recurring taxonomic identification tests for lotic, lentic profundal, littoral and Baltic coastal macroinvertebrates as well as regularly arranged taxonomic workshops.
Warm thanks to all the participants
Forests and abundance of water -focus on boreal forests and peatlands. Abstracts and Programme of COST Action FP0601 FORMAN Workshop at the Finnish Environment Institute, Helsinki and Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station, Finland 6.−8.9.2010
Get PDFTaitto: Leena KarvinenThis paper compiles the programme and abstracts of the international scientific workshop, Forests and abundance of water boreal forests and peatlands, organised in the premises of the Finnish Environment Institute, Helsinki and the Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station of the University of Helsinki from the 6th to 8th of September 2010. It is the 7th workshop of the COST Action FP0601 Forest management and water cycle (FORMAN). The main objectives of FORMAN are to enhance the knowledge on forest-water interactions in Europe and to elaborate science-based guidelines for the improvement of the management of forests predominantly designed for the production and storage of water. FORMAN will scientifically address the manifold aspects of managing forest-water interactions under rapidly changing environmental constraints. The main organizers of this Workshop are the Finnish Forest Research Institute, the Finnish Environment Institute, together with the Institute of Ecology from the Tallinn University, the Department of Soil and Environment from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the COST Action FP0601. Over 50 scientists from 19 different countries attend the workshop
Field measurement intercomparison - Field measurements of dissolved oxygen concentration
No full textIn the framework of the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP) project ENV05 OCEAN (Metrology for ocean salinity and acidity), the dissolved oxygen field (in situ) intercomparison (FieldOxy 2014) test was organized onboard R/V Aranda on April 23, 2014 in the Gulf of Finland. The aim of the intercomparison was to enable the participants to assess their performance in measuring dissolved oxygen concentration in seawater under field conditions. The intercomparison measurement was organized jointly by the Finnish Environment Institute (Proftest SYKE. Envical SYKE) and University of Tartu.
Total of 21 participants from 10 institutes in Finland, Estonia, France, Germany and Sweden participated in the intercomparison. Totally, 13-18 oxygen sensors were tested depending of the test depth. Additionally, six Winkler titrimetric setups participated in the intercomparison. The metrologically traceable Winkler titration result (the assigned value) was measured by the Winkler setup of University of Tartu onboard R/V Aranda.
In total, 88 % of the results were satisfactory when total deviation of 8 % from the assigned values were accepted. Only three results were questionable and five results were unsatisfactory. A possible reason for several of the unsatisfactory results might be problems with calibration of electrochemical oxygen sensors. The movement of the water during the PT may have been insufficient for the electrochemical sensors, which may have resulted biased measurement results. Overall the share of satisfactory results was very good
Proficiency test 07/2024: Leaching behavior test for solid waste material: One stage batch leaching test
No full textIn summer 2024 Proftest Syke carried out the proficiency test (PT) for laboratories conducting leaching tests for solid waste material. The results of the one stage batch leaching test (EN 12457-2) for fly ash samples were compared and evaluated. The tested measurands from the leaching eluate were metals (As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, V, Zn), Cl-, F-, SO4 2-, DOC, pH, conductivity, and TDS. In total, there were 9 participants in the PT. The median of the reported results was used as the assigned values for the measurands. The results were evaluated both with the z and En scores. The overall evaluation of the participants’ results was done by z scores and in total 95 % of the results were satisfactory, when the standard deviation for proficiency assessment was set for pH measurement to 0.3 pH units and for the other measurement to 15–35 % depending on the measurement. The results of DOC and Pb measurements were evaluated with En scores and 80 % of those results were satisfactory. Warm thanks to all participants in this proficiency test!Proftest Syke järjesti kesällä 2024 pätevyyskokeen laboratorioille, jotka tekevät liukoisuustestejä jätteiden kaatopaikkakelpoisuuden arvioimiseksi. Ravistelutestiuutteesta määritettiin metallit (As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, V, Zn), Cl-, F-, SO4 2-, DOC, pH, sähkönjohtavuus sekä TDS. Vertailun kohteena oli 1-vaiheinen ravistelutesti (SFS-EN 12457-2) ja näytemateriaalina oli lentotuhka. Pätevyyskokeeseen osallistui yhteensä 9 laboratoriota. Testisuureiden vertailuarvoina käytettiin osallistujien tulosten mediaania. Pätevyyskokeen osallistujatulosaineiston kokonaisarviointi tehtiin z-arvojen avulla ja kaikkiaan 95 % tuloksista oli hyväksyttäviä, kun tavoitehajonnaksi asetettiin pH-määrityksille 0,3 pH yksikköä ja muille määrityksille 15–35 % näytteen ja testisuureen mukaan. Testisuureiden DOC ja Pb tulokset arviointiin En-arvojen avulla ja 80 % näistä tuloksista oli hyväksyttäviä. Kiitos pätevyyskokeen osallistujille
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