Kuusakoski Recycling

Due to Finland’s commitment to environmental sustainability, the country has had an impressive recycling rate over the past few years and is a pioneer in adopting the circular economy model. Kuusakoski Recycling, headquartered in Espoo, contributes significantly to this circular economy model through processes that recover valuable materials from discarded electronics, called e-waste, reducing the need for new resource extraction.

As one of Northern Europe’s leading recycling services, Kuusakoski Recycling provides cost-effective, environmentally responsible recycling services to e-waste collectors and recyclers, enterprises, small businesses, nonprofits, original equipment manufacturers, and governments and municipalities.

Much like any recycling company, Kuusakoski recycling facilities could be exposed to potential fire hazards that can release significant quantities of toxic or harmful substances into the environment. These risks may originate from the materials they manage, the machinery they employ, and various operational elements. In case of interruption of activities due to fire incidents, the company will face significant financial losses and additional costs for the business. Hence, the time spent extinguishing fires can stretch more than anticipated, which might affect the recycling business when halting any activity.

Recent major fires at Metsä Fibre Paper Recycling Plant and Kiertokapula Recycling Center in Finland serve as reminders of the need for continuous vigilance and adherence to safety protocols when dealing with highly combustible materials in recycling facilities to protect employees, the environment, and surrounding communities.

The company approached our team of fire protection specialists to address and mitigate any fire-related risks in order to prevent damage to the environment and surroundings. We performed a series of fire safety audits at various service points on the premises of Kuusakoski Recycling to identify fire safety risks related to the recycling business. The following is the list of recycling facilities where our team was appointed as fire protection experts:

• Heinola,Finland (2017 and 2019)
• Kivikko, Helsinki (2017)
• Kaulahti, Espoo (2017)
• Lahti, Finland (2019)
• Seutula, Vantaa (2019)
• Spånga, Sweden (2017)
• Gävle, Sweden (2017 and 2019)
• Skelletehanm, Sweden (2017 and 2019)
• Lycxele, Sweden (2017)
• Timrå, Sweden (2019)

These series of audits and reports allowed them to become safe and secure facilities that can process and repurpose materials on a global scale efficiently. Moreover, the site inspections carried out on the developments at Kuusakoski Recycling's sites brought clear economic benefits to the organization.

When working in recycling facilities that handle a variety of highly combustible materials, several critical considerations must be taken into account by our team of experts. These encompass material classification to understand the potential hazards, effective fire detection and suppression systems tailored to the specific materials and processes, and the implementation of material separation practices to prevent hazardous mixtures. Adequate storage management, preventative equipment maintenance, and stringent protocols for hot work operations are crucial for fire prevention.

"Since the fire safety audits were carried out, fire safety has taken big steps forward in terms of numbers. The audits have given us significant areas for improvement, and we have also gained financial benefits from the work, as the damage from fires has been minimal."

- Mikko Kuusilehto, Managing Director, Kuusakoski Recycling