One man's trash is another man's treasure, goes the old saying. Today, it has acquired additional meaning, because practically all materials are recyclable. If a treasure goes to waste, it burdens both the wallet and the environment. Even on construction sites, material previously classified as mixed waste is now being recycled into a new usable product.
HSE expert Johanna Pakarinen is currently completing her civil engineering degree. Before his current position, he worked as environmental manager, safety expert, occupational health and safety manager and foreman for Skanska's Southern Finland residential construction.
Skanska's HSE expert Johanna Pakarinen has worked for more than ten years at Skanska and supports and guides Skanska's site personnel in matters of well-being, occupational safety and the environment. Over the years, he has taken a huge leap for the better in environmental matters. There has been a change not only in skills and awareness, but also in attitude.
Johanna is also responsible for informing the construction sites about occupational safety and environmental issues. He raises the importance of terminology when talking about environmental issues.
"For example, I wouldn't want to talk about waste, but surplus. Just the word waste brings to mind that we are dealing with unusable material. However, it is often a product that is usable. Such a product can be, for example, a plasterboard on a construction site, from which a piece has come off. A lot of players have entered the construction industry, who accept the surplus and produce new, usable material," says Johanna.
A clean trail by sorting
According to Johanna, zero mixed waste is not a utopia and almost everything can be recycled. "For example, Puijonkuppe Flat. Oy Kuopio Kiurun no less than 14 different sections are sorted at the site. The construction site has remained remarkably clean, because waste fractions are collected separately on the construction site right at the point of origin. There are separate places for waste, where it is easy for employees to put the materials directly. On a very tight lot, organizing such large-scale sorting requires more planning."
"At the work site, attention is paid to a proper orientation, where information about the sorting of the place of birth is given and it is monitored effectively at the work site. The construction site team is committed to the common goal of a mixed waste-free construction site, so the sorting has been made a great success by working together," says Johanna. Development also develops in environmental matters, and Johanna believes that the circular economy will be commonplace on all construction sites in the near future.
"My own son was doing summer work at Raksa. It was obvious to him that recycling and waste management work at the construction site. Young people in particular are aware, and in terms of the attractiveness of the industry, it is important that attention is paid to these issues."
Johanna's perspectives on the benefits of sorting and recycling
- Nature: By recycling materials, we ensure that materials are not wasted and at the same time save natural resources. Also, garbage from the construction site does not end up in nature and waterways.
- Man: Especially in large regional projects, construction sites are present in the daily life of the local community for several years. It is important that we ensure a clean neighborhood from the start. The more attention we pay to sorting waste, the cleaner it will be at the construction site as well. And when the construction site is clean, not even trash flies into the surrounding area. Cleanliness at the construction site has a direct connection to safety as well. When goods and garbage are not lying on the ground, accidents caused by tripping are prevented.
- Company: Dumping mixed waste burdens the environment but also becomes expensive. Recycling is therefore a cost saving. In addition, an untidy construction site creates an image of a company where things are not taken care of. One messy construction site can become a bad reputation for the entire company. Cleanliness inside the construction site fence is also important for well-being.
In a nutshell
- Skanska is a global construction and project development company that employs 32 people in North America, Great Britain, Central Europe and the Nordic countries. About 000 people work in Finland.
- Skanska's global climate goal is to be carbon neutral by 2045.
- The HSE acronym comes from the words Health, Safety and Environment, i.e. health, safety and environment, which are linked to each other.
- The job title of HSE specialist is familiar to other industrial companies. Skanska is the first company in the construction industry to adopt the task title. Before this, the company has had safety experts and environmental experts. Now, in addition to Skanska's head office, experts are working with the title of HSE specialist in different regions and on sites.
Text: Sari Perento
Photos: Johanna's home album
