Environmental supervision permits, notifications and registration

For example, concrete and brick waste can be deposited in the soil to replace natural materials in accordance with Section 12 of the City of Espoo’s environmental protection regulations. A notification of the waste deposit must be submitted to the Espoo Environment and Building Control Department (ymparisto@espoo.fi) at least 30 days before beginning the work. If the waste is deposited on a professional basis or at an installation (generally more than 500 tonnes), different procedures will apply. The most common of these is submitting a notification to the Uusimaa ELY Centre according to Government Decree 843/2017 (the so-called MARA decree).  

Submit a notification:

Experimental short-term activities do not require an environmental permit, but only a written notification to the permit authority. Experimental activities may include, for example, testing new substituting chemicals or fuels or utilising waste as a raw material. Experimental activities may relate to, for instance, preparing environmental protection investments or experimenting with technical implementation.  

The notification is submitted to the permit authority that would decide on the environmental permit for the activities (Regional State Administrative Agency or municipal environmental protection authority). The notification must be submitted no later than 30 days before starting the activities.

Read the instructions and submit a notification(external link) (to the Environmental Administration website, in finnish) 

Application of animal manure is prohibited between 1 November and 31 March. Exceptions from the timings are possible if fields are too wet to hold the weight of machinery due to exceptionally heavy autumn rains. In this case, the deadline for manure application is 30 November. Exceptions must be notified to the Espoo Environment and Building Control Department (ymparisto@espoo.fi) by 30 October. 

Read the instructions and submit a notification(external link) (to the Environmental Administration website, in finnish) 

Notification regarding the storage of manure and organic fertiliser products in heaps is filed by their recipient. Notifications for manure heaps in exceptional cases and for compost post-maturation are filed by the operator of the animal facility where the manure is produced. Manure heap notifications must be submitted to the Espoo Environment and Building Control Department (ymparisto@espoo.fi) at least 14 days before the heap is set up. 

Read the instructions and submit a notification(external link) (to the Environmental Administration website, in finnish) 

Soil extraction for commercial purposes is subject to an extraction permit. The Land Extraction Act applies to stone, sand, clay or topsoil extracted to be transported from a site, stored on site or refined. If an environmental permit is also required, permits are applied for on a single form and a combined soil and environmental permit is issued for the decision. 

The permit under the Land Extraction Act is not required, if the extracted material is to be used for normal household use, which is connected in housing or for agriculture and forestry. If the domestic use exceeds 500 solid cubic metres, the location and extent of the extraction site must be reported to the Espoo Environment and Building Control Department (ymparisto@espoo.fi). 

Read the instructions, apply for a permit or submit a notification(external link) (to the Environmental Administration website) 

Many temporary activities and events that cause particularly disturbing noise or vibration require submitting a noise notification in accordance with Section 118 of the Environmental Protection Act. For example, crushing, excavation, pile driving and motor sport events often require submitting a noise notification. Other construction or demolition work, outdoor concerts, major public events, air shows or fireworks displays may also require a noise notification. Section 25 of the City of Espoo’s environmental protection regulations specifies which activities should at least be notified. 

The noise notification must be submitted to the municipal environmental protection authority (ymparisto@espoo.fi) at least than 30 days before starting the activities. The activities must not be started before the authority has taken a positive decision or 30 days have elapsed since the notification. The decision taken on the notification lays down the necessary provisions to prevent any harm arising from the activities.  

Temporary activity causing especially disturbing noise or vibration must always be announced in advance to residents, care and educational institutions and other parties that may be affected within the scope of the noise or vibration.  

Submit a notification: 

If the activities result in minor environmental impacts only, the environmental permit procedure is replaced by registering the activities. Activities to be registered include most of the following: 

• energy plants with a maximum fuel power of 50 MW 

• liquid fuel distribution stations 

• asphalt mixing plants 

• dry cleaners 

• operations involving organic solvents 

• fixed concrete mixing plants and concrete product factories. 

Notification of registration must be submitted to the authority at least 30 days before starting the activities in the case of an energy plant of less than 50 MW, and 60 days before starting the activities in the case of other activities subject to registration. The activities to be registered must comply with the requirements laid down in the sector-specific regulation. The activities can be started after they have been registered. 

Read the instructions and submit a notification(external link) (to the Environmental Administration website, in finnish) 

The treatment of contaminated soil may require an environmental permit. The cleaning of contaminated soil, or removal of contaminated soil for treatment elsewhere, may be started in certain situations by submitting a notification. The notification must be submitted to the Uusimaa ELY Centre at least 45 days before starting the cleaning. 

Read the instructions and submit a notification(external link) (to the Environmental Administration website, in finnish) 

You can apply for an exemption from the deadline for renovating your property-specific wastewater system. An exemption only needs to be applied for if the system does not comply with the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act and the building is located less than 100 metres from a water system or in an important groundwater area. In other areas, there is no need to renovate the wastewater system until a flush toilet is built or a full renovation is made. The wastewater page provides additional information on which systems meet the requirements in which area. 

If a port does not require an environmental permit but has at least 50 berths or docking spaces, it must submit a notification to Environmental Protection’s database. Notification regarding new port operations is to be made in good time before they are due to commence. The notification shall contain a waste management plan.   

The port must review and update its waste management plan to the relevant supervisory authority in the event of a significant change in the quality, quantity or management of the waste. If there is no need to amend the waste management plan, the port operator must inform the supervisory authority at least once every three years that the waste management plan is still in force. 

Read the instructions and submit a notification(external link) (to the Environmental Administration website, in finnish) 

According to the Water Services Act, a property located in the area covered by the water utility’s water supply and sewerage network must join the network. The aim is to protect the environment and human health. It is possible to apply for exemption from the obligation. Its granting is conditional on, among other things, circumstances that make joining the network unreasonable, the sufficient availability of high-quality domestic water and the proper treatment of wastewater. The exemption is granted on a temporary basis. 

Find out more, read the instructions and make an application 

The city builds public stormwater systems so that stormwater can be managed harmlessly.  According to the Water Services Act, a property located in the area covered by the water utility’s stormwater system must join the stormwater system. It is possible to apply for exemption from the obligation. Its granting is conditional on, among other things, that joining is unreasonable and that stormwater can otherwise be removed appropriately. 

Find out more, read the instructions and make an application 

The general notification procedure in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act concerns certain activities with minor environmental impacts. The Environmental Protection Act stipulates which activities are subject to the general notification procedure. 

In the general notification procedure, the authority issues an appealable decision based on the notification submitted by the operator. The notification must be submitted to the competent authority at least 120 days before the planned start of the activities. 

Read the instructions and submit a notification(external link) (to the Environmental Administration website, in finnish) 

An environmental permit is needed for activities causing risk of environmental contamination. Examples of such activities include the forest, metal and chemical industries, energy production, large animal shelters and fish farming. 

The environmental permit may include provisions on the scope of operations, emissions and their reduction. The granting of the permit requires, among other things, that the activities do not cause health hazards or other significant environmental contamination or its risk. 

Read the instructions and apply for a permit(external link) (to the Environmental Administration website) 

If you apply for an environmental permit, water management permit or soil permit and your project also includes other environmental permits, you can ask for the coordination of permit procedures. 

Façade construction work and other renovations on external stone or metal structures must be reported to the Espoo Environment and Building Control Department (ymparisto@espoo.fi) at least 14 days before starting the work. Such notification is not required for minor cleaning, repair or patching work performed on façades or other external building structures. 

Submit a notification: 

Decommissioned underground oil or chemical tanks must be cleaned and removed. The tank does not need to be removed, however, if it has been properly cleaned prior to 1 March 2005 and filled with sand or other approved material. Environmental authorities may in individual cases grant an exemption from the obligation to remove an underground tank, if the removal is technically very difficult or will result in damage to other property. The application is sent to the Espoo Registry Office (kirjaamo@espoo.fi). 

Apply for a permit: