Winter maintenance in the Turku city centre area is carried out using a service alliance model, with City of Turku, Entti Varsinais-Suomi Oy, and Destia Oy as partners. The contract covers the maintenance of streets and green areas, including both summer and winter operations. One of the key responsibilities is the upkeep of green areas, which is handled by Entti Varsinais-Suomi Oy. Regarding winter maintenance, their tasks include, among other things, the care of stairways, of which there are nearly one hundred in Turku.
Eco-Melter S established as part of winter maintenance
Eco-Melter S ice-melting granules have been used in the winter maintenance of stairs under the contract for several years. Previously, a different urea-based product was used for de-icing stairs. Urea presents challenges due to its limited effectiveness in varying weather conditions and its potential to eutrophicate water bodies, whereas Eco-Melter S has proven to be an efficient and versatile solution for different weather conditions without environmental harm.
User experiences and product benefits
According to Entti Varsinais-Suomi, the main advantages of Eco-Melter S are its efficiency and reliability under various weather conditions. The product can also be used flexibly in different locations, such as for de-icing bridges over railways, where there are strict restrictions on permitted substances. Eco-Melter S is approved for railway use, making it an excellent option for such areas.
For stairways, Eco-Melter S is applied manually. The chosen packaging size is 25 kg bags, which users find practical. Granules are transported to the application sites in buckets, allowing the application amount to be easily adjusted as needed. No exact dosage is specified; it depends on the amount of ice and snow on the stairs. After application, the product is left to act for about 1–2 hours, after which the melted snow is removed mechanically. After treatment, the ice layer comes off more easily.
De-icing has mainly been performed reactively to remove already formed ice. With Eco-Melter S, proactive ice prevention is also possible, for example, before heavy snowfall, preventing the formation of snow and ice on stairs.
Environmental considerations at the forefront
Environmental friendliness is a key criterion in selecting winter maintenance products under the contract. In the city centre, the proximity of the Aurajoki River significantly influenced the selection process, and traditional salt-based products cannot be used. Eco-Melter S is a biodegradable and environmentally friendly alternative, which has been a major advantage in establishing its use.
Summary
Eco-Melter S has proven to be an effective and efficient solution for winter maintenance in Turku city centre. Its versatility in various weather conditions, environmental friendliness, and practical packaging size have made it a standard choice for stairway de-icing. Special praise has also been given for its flexible and fast deliveries.
Explore our wide range of de-icing and ice-melting products here. Learn more about Entti Varsinais-Suomi on their website.
