The control of invasive alien species may generate significant amounts of plant waste and soil material containing reproductive plant parts, such as seeds or rootstocks. Special care should be taken in the handling and disposal of such waste, as invasive alien species can spread to the environment and new growth locations through plant waste and soil.
According to Act on Managing the Risks Caused by Alien Species (1709/2015, section 5), an operator must ensure that the product or material produced, stored, placed on the market, transported, transmitted, sold or otherwise conveyed by the operator does not contain an invasive alien species included in the Union list or of national concern which may spread in the product or material outside the area managed by the operator.
In addition, it should be noted that no alien species can be kept, bred, planted, sown or otherwise handled in such a way that it may be released into the environment. (section 3).
1. Identify, report, and check control instructions
Always identify invasive alien species as part of a construction or infrastructure project. Use the vieraslajit.fi website to help identify any invasive alien species. At the same time, you can report your observation of invasive alien species. The website offers species-specific control instructions for most invasive alien species.
2. Are permissions required?
Find out/identify whether the planned (management) measures require an environmental permit, an action permit or a notification procedure. More information about when a permission is required for using and handling soil containing invasive alien species is available here.
Request the permission of the landowner or route administrator for control measures.
3. Plan and implement control measures
In construction and infrastructure projects, it is important to reduce the amount of waste generated by the control of invasive alien species. The goal is to minimise the amount of waste and soil that contains seeds, roots or other plant parts that are used in spreading and are more difficult to dispose of. This requires the thorough implementation of control measures and the preparation of a specific control plan. Control measures should be taken well before the start of a construction or infrastructure project. This reduces the risk of the spread of invasive alien species during the project.
Basic principles for the planning and implementation of control measures are available here (In Finnish).
When handling soil, the amount of plant parts, viable seeds and root pieces, and other reproductive parts in soil can be reduced, for example:
Employees of your own organisation need to be trained regarding the identification of invasive alien species, spread paths, control measures and disposal. In addition, subcontractors must be trained regarding the safe handling of invasive alien species as required by the worksite and tasks.
In infrastructure projects, the continuity of control measures and monitoring must be ensured.
4. Handle and dispose of waste appropriately
Waste containing invasive alien species can be handled in many ways in the control location to reduce the amount of waste to be removed. Root parts and other larger plant material can be separated from soil using a sieve or screen.
If disposal on site is not possible, waste can be delivered to a waste transfer station, through which nutrients and organic matter can be used by means of industrial composting or biogas generation, for example.
The spread of invasive alien species must also be prevented during transport by packaging waste into plastic bags and/or by covering the trailer with a tarpaulin. In addition, equipment must be cleaned appropriately.
5. Use of plant waste
The primary goal in the handling of material containing invasive alien species is to use the nutrients and organic matter contained in plant-based biomass as a growing medium, for example. The secondary goal is to use the energy contained by organic matter by burning it. Disposal of waste at a landfill site, for example, is only the final option.
6. Monitoring
Monitor the site for several years after the control measures. If you detect any new seedlings or shoots, repeat the control measures.
Additional information
More information about the identification and control of invasive alien species is available on the vieraslajit.fi website. Example: How to identify and control the Japanese rose (In Finnish).
More information about the handling and disposal of waste containing invasive alien species is available in the instructions How to handle and dispose of waste containing invasive alien species? (In Finnish).