The population of the Municipality of Tallinn is approximately 450.000 inhabitants. At present, the waste from Tallinn area is mostly deposited in the Pääsküla landfill. In 1995, 961 000 m3 of municipal solid waste was deposited to the landfill. The capacity of the present main landfill of Tallinn is calculated to last only five years, and so there is need at present to start looking for solutions for the future.
In autumn 1994 - August 1995, a project called Feasibility study of Solid Waste Treatment and Disposal in Tallinn was conducted. The study was carried out by Viatek Group Ltd from Finland and PIC Estonia Ltd and Geotehnika Inseneribüroo Ltd from Estonia.
According to the study, the main solution to waste treatment will be alternative "Landfill + Energy Recovery", which includes:
• separate collection system of waste
• biowaste treatment
• the production of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and combustion of the same
• a new landfill site
The first phase of this programme will be the construction of the new environmentally sound landfill site as well as the development and training of source separation and collection of waste. The suitability of the new site for constructing the landfill has been scrutinised (geological, hydrogeological, geotechnical investigations) in 1989-1993. The mutual opinion and the conclusion of the environmental impact assessment is that it is possible to construct an environmentally safe landfill. Waste disposal in Tallinn´s new landfill will start in approximately the year 2000.
For more information, please contact Mr Toomas Ideon, Chief Specialist, Tallinn Municipal Services Board, fax: +372 6 404 321. You are also welcome to visit the Tallinn homepage.
