Sustainability in aggregates production in Finland
Luopio, Mikko (2023)
2023
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023120534396
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023120534396
Tiivistelmä
This thesis aims to find out if there is a financial benefit from being a sustainability forerunner and what kind of an impact the regulation and new technology have on the operations. Crushed rock is an important part of construction operations and is the biggest component in concrete and asphalt, but as it is not a renewable material, it makes the whole aggregate industry initially unsustainable.
International studies also show that there are several other harmful impacts on the environment, like CO2 emissions and reduction of the forest areas, from the quarrying operations, and the noise and dust cause health issues for the workers. The connection between sustainability initiatives and financial success has not been studied specifically in the aggregate industry, but in other industries, positive results could be found. This thesis studied the insights and experiences of Finnish aggregate producers regarding their stance on sustainability, thoughts about legislation and regulation, experiences of issues with equipment, occupational safety, and whether sustainability initiatives bring financial benefits.
The study was conducted with semi-structural interviews to find out the insights and experiences of the aggregate producers. This approach allows the interviewee to freely tell their thoughts in a broader scope, and for the interviewer to ask additional questions to deepen the conversation.
The results show a positive relation with sustainability within the research group. The legislation is experienced to be strict and interpretations differing between areas, and the regulation is expected to become stricter in the future. The interviewees shared their experiences with the problems caused by unreliable newer technology. Sustainability efforts were seen as a cost issue mainly, but some indicated the positive effect on company image and for some as a possibility to bid for a larger scope of tenders.
This thesis was commissioned by Metso Corporation.
International studies also show that there are several other harmful impacts on the environment, like CO2 emissions and reduction of the forest areas, from the quarrying operations, and the noise and dust cause health issues for the workers. The connection between sustainability initiatives and financial success has not been studied specifically in the aggregate industry, but in other industries, positive results could be found. This thesis studied the insights and experiences of Finnish aggregate producers regarding their stance on sustainability, thoughts about legislation and regulation, experiences of issues with equipment, occupational safety, and whether sustainability initiatives bring financial benefits.
The study was conducted with semi-structural interviews to find out the insights and experiences of the aggregate producers. This approach allows the interviewee to freely tell their thoughts in a broader scope, and for the interviewer to ask additional questions to deepen the conversation.
The results show a positive relation with sustainability within the research group. The legislation is experienced to be strict and interpretations differing between areas, and the regulation is expected to become stricter in the future. The interviewees shared their experiences with the problems caused by unreliable newer technology. Sustainability efforts were seen as a cost issue mainly, but some indicated the positive effect on company image and for some as a possibility to bid for a larger scope of tenders.
This thesis was commissioned by Metso Corporation.