At least half of the waste collection bins in the Helsinki region will not be emptied during a scheduled seven-day transport sector strike which started on Wednesday, according to Helsinki Region Environmental Services (HSY).
It has recommended affected households in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Kirkkonummi to "keep their waste at home as long as possible until the emptying of waste containers continues normally."
The transportation sector strike affecting HSY workers is scheduled to end on Tuesday, 21 February.
HSY said the strike will mostly affect the collection of mixed-and bio-waste, as well as cardboard and plastic packaging recycling. Meanwhile, the collection of recyclable glass and metal will continue more or less normally.
Some service continues
"The regional effects can vary widely, but effects of the strike will be felt everywhere. The situation will be most noticed at properties with the fewest waste bins per resident, with the most frequent emptying schedules," HSY operations manager, Juho Nuutinen, said in a press release issued on Wednesday.
If a property's waste collection bins are full, HSY advised affected households to store their rubbish and recyclables at home, on the balcony or in storage, if possible.
"Overfilled containers will delay emptying them even more and slow down our post-strike operations," Nuutinen noted.
However, HSY said it plans to continue its waste collection duties at societally-critical facilities such as hospitals.
"We empty more than 34,000 waste containers every day, which means that on each day of the strike, around 17,000 waste containers will remain unemptied. Since it is a strike, replacement staff is not available," Nuutinen explained.
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