Helsinki seeks permit for Hernesaari snow dump area

Prompted by the ELY Centre, the City of Helsinki will apply this autumn for an environmental permit for the operation of the Hernesaari snow dump area, said an official press release on Monday.

It allows the determination of city-independent environmental criteria for the snow dump area for future monitoring of the environmental impacts of the operation.

Helsinki aims to stop dumping snow into the sea, but until an alternative area or method is available, the use of the Hernesaari snow dump area is necessary to ensure smooth winter traffic in the inner city.

Transporting snow to more remote dump areas does not work as a quick fix as it would increase carbon dioxide emissions, cause congestion in the inner city and slow down the clearing of streets from snow.

The Hernesaari snow dump area serves the snow disposal needs of southern Helsinki. The 26,000 or so loads of snow taken to Hernesaari in the winter of 2021–2022 represent about 20% of all the snow loads transported from Helsinki last winter. That makes Hernesaari the city’s largest snow dump area.

Besides the city, Hernesaari’s customers include private housing companies and other properties responsible for much of the winter maintenance of the inner city’s pavements. Thus, slightly more than half of the snow loads to Hernesaari are brought there by the properties in the inner city area.