NatureBeST project partners shared analysis of interviews on problems facing companies during webinar

Submitted by KA5041 on
WASTEMANAGEMENT

NatureBeST project partners joined a webinar organized by Circwaste and wasteless Karelias on 24.9.2020 to listen and contribute ideas on ways to solve current and future waste management challenges. The invitation to join seminar was shared with companies operating in NatureBeST project regions in Finland prior to the event. During the webinar, we shared views of owners and managers of tourism accommodation facilities on main barriers that they face regarding waste management efficiency. These were based on findings from NatureBeST interviews of owners and managers of tourism accommodation facilities.

About a year ago, NatureBeST partners CEDTENK and SYKE interviewed over 30 companies from Kuhmo and North Karelia areas on issues affecting them regarding energy, water, wastewater, and solid waste management. Concerning waste management, even though 73 percent of facilities had both compost and sorted different types of waste, mixed waste and municipal sorting stations are still problems affecting waste efficiency attempts at various facilities. For example, 23 percent of managers/owners admitted to mixing waste, not because they would like to, but because they had no alternative option.

Owners and managers stated that they would like to sort waste but need help, support structures from municipality such as closer waste sorting stations, provision of sorting station in village collection points, and diversity of sorting stations that could allow and motivate them to sort waste.

Facilities located where distances to sorting stations were shorter, tended to sort waste compared to those over 40 kilometres away from sorting station. Some had in place village sorting stations but complained on the range of those sorting stations, and in some instances missing sorting stations (only mixed waste possibility in regional collection point).

The webinar was a good way to share information on project outcomes that can be considered in developing or solving barriers. NatureBeST project partners will also offer solutions to common problems in our hand/guidebook that will be available soon!