Soil remediation set to begin in Savonmäki, Varkaus next summer

Remediation of contaminated soil in the Savonmäki residential area of Varkaus is set to begin next summer. According to the Pirkanmaa ELY Centre, the owners of twelve single-family homes in the area have agreed to a proposal for soil clean-up. This action pertains to plots located on the former site of an illegal landfill, where industrial waste was also dumped prior to the landfill’s establishment.

Juhani Helle, who purchased his home in Savonmäki in 1986, first discovered contaminated soil while renovating the property’s oil tank around two decades ago. His situation gained media attention in the summer of 2023, emphasizing concerns over his living conditions as he faced challenges with local authorities.

The cleanup will involve the removal of contaminated soil to a depth of approximately one meter. Initially, authorities assessed that the soil did not require treatment; however, the Pirkanmaa ELY Centre recently revised this assessment. The new guidelines mandate that homeowners should be able to cultivate edible plants, fruit trees, and berry bushes on their properties.

The next step in the process will be structural planning. Permits and tenders are expected to be processed in early 2024, allowing remediation work to commence in the summer. The cleanup will entail excavating contaminated soil using heavy machinery, replacing it with clean soil.

Jari Tiainen, an expert from the Pirkanmaa ELY Centre, indicated that soil beneath buildings is not currently planned for removal based on previous sample testing, which suggested that contamination is not present there. The remediation effort in Savonmäki is part of the nationwide “Soil Restoration” program by the Pirkanmaa ELY Centre.