Finnish residents complain of poor restoration and debris in fiber-optic construction sites

Fiber-optic construction sites are spreading to villages and cities across Finland during the summer. The most common concern among residents is why the digging marks in front of houses or along the streets are so poorly restored to grass. For instance, the city of Lappeenranta complained to a fiber-optic company after discovering sticks, plastic, and cones in the soil used at the company’s construction sites. Jukka Nakari, a resident of Alakylä in Lappeenranta, also found strange materials in his yard.

Last week, the fiber-optic company Valoo and its contractor Enersense started corrective measures in many residential areas in Lappeenranta. Antti Ruotsalainen, Valoo’s Sales Director, says that the poor-quality soil came from a local subcontractor. Neither Valoo nor Enersense want to disclose the name of the company that supplied the soil, so it could not be interviewed.

According to Ville Ovaska, CEO of the Lappeenranta earth-moving company Veljekset Ovaska, there are three reasons why the grass does not grow. The company, in addition to construction, also produces soil, which has been used, for example, in the city of Lappeenranta’s plantings. Ovaska’s company was not the contractor on fiber-optic construction sites in Lappeenranta that received a repair notice from the city.

Firstly, the quality of the seeding soil is crucial. Cables at the fiber-optic construction site are often covered with soil excavated from the ground, and seeding soil, which is more nutritious than the ground soil, is added on top. Grass seeds are supposed to germinate in the seeding soil, but this only happens if the soil is of good quality.

Secondly, the amount of seeding soil can impact grass growth. If the amount of seeding soil is skimped on, the fill soil and the sticks and stones it contains become visible after the first rains.

Thirdly, dryness and small birds also affect grass growth. Once the grass is sown on the ground, it is important that the soil remains moist. Without rain or watering, the seeds do not start to germinate. Instead, the seeds of weeds contained in the soil get through. Other threats to lawn seeds include small birds, which pick up the seeds.

In Lappeenranta, plastic, glass, or tile pieces have been found mixed with the soil left by fiber-optic companies. Esa Kuitunen, the head of supervision at the ELY Centre, explains that old demolition waste and non-native material often rise to the surface during construction. This is due to the fact that waste management is a relatively new invention. The first waste management law came into effect in 1978, and before that, it was common to use construction waste for landfilling.

Kuitunen adds that there is no specific authority that monitors the quality of soil used in construction. It’s a matter of perspective when the amount of debris is too much and the limit of contaminated soil is exceeded. He also notes that there is no such thing as completely clean soil.