May Day celebrations leave Helsinki parks littered as cleanup costs rise
Helsinki’s parks and streets faced a significant cleanup effort following this year’s May Day celebrations, which drew record crowds due to exceptionally warm weather. Tens of thousands of people gathered in Kaivopuisto Park alone, leaving behind a trail of debris that required immediate attention from the city’s maintenance crews.
Warm weather draws crowds, increases litter
Temperatures across southern Finland rose above 20 degrees Celsius, marking only the second time this century that May Day has been celebrated in such warm conditions. Yle reports that the unseasonably high temperatures brought more people than usual to outdoor celebrations, particularly in Kaisaniemi and Kaivopuisto parks.
The City of Helsinki’s construction service enterprise, Stara, which is responsible for the city’s cleanliness, had prepared for the increased litter by allocating additional resources for round-the-clock cleanup efforts. Despite these preparations, the scale of the task remained substantial. MTV Uutiset notes that Stara’s cleanup contract began at 3 AM on May Day night, with crews working through the early hours to restore order.
Cleanup efforts and costs
Stara’s district gardener, Carla Hakala, led a team of around ten workers in the early hours of Saturday morning, starting their shift in Esplanadi Park before moving to Ruttopuisto, Sinebrychoff Park, and finally Kaivopuisto. Ilta-Sanomat accompanied the crew, documenting the cleanup process.
Hakala described Esplanadi, Ruttopuisto, and Sinebrychoff Park as "surprisingly clean" compared to previous years, with only minor litter—primarily empty bottles and confetti—scattered near waste bins. However, the situation in Kaivopuisto was far more severe. Carl Rosenlöf, a Stara employee, described the scene as "apocalyptic," with litter covering the ground "as far as the eye can see." The debris included sparkling wine and champagne bottles, beer cans, disposable plates, and even inflatable mattresses and clothing.
The cleanup operation is an additional cost for the city, with last year’s May Day efforts amounting to €88,000 (MTV Uutiset). Stara’s social media post ahead of the celebrations highlighted the financial burden, noting that the cleanup required significant resources, including day and night shifts.
Public facilities and voluntary efforts
The city had arranged 189 toilets and 59 urinals in downtown parks to accommodate the crowds, though Yle reports that queues formed, particularly in front of women’s outdoor toilets. Despite the challenges, some revelers took it upon themselves to assist with the cleanup. Eemeli Piippo, 21, and Pyry Alatalo, 21, helped Stara’s crew in Esplanadi Park after leaving a nearby nightclub, while Sauli Pietarinen, 30, spent six hours collecting litter in Kaivopuisto before the official cleanup began.
Pietarinen expressed frustration at the state of the park, stating, "Civilized people come here in their white caps to have fun and celebrate May Day, but then they ruin the place and just go home." His efforts filled 27 plastic bags, though he admitted that the scale of the litter made his work feel insufficient.
Environmental initiatives
In an effort to reduce waste, the City of Helsinki organized a collection drive for sparkling wine bottles. Yle reports that returning 20 bottles to designated collection points earned participants a free movie ticket, with 1,300 tickets available. The collected bottles will be recycled into glass wool.
Stara’s seasonal employee Tuomas Koponen, who has worked on May Day cleanups for three years, noted that parks are generally cleaner now than in the past. "It seems that people’s sense of responsibility has grown," he said, though he criticized those who still leave trash behind rather than disposing of it properly.
Despite the challenges, the cleanup crews worked efficiently, with Hakala estimating that the most labor-intensive areas would be restored by the end of the day. The efforts underscore the ongoing need for public responsibility during large-scale celebrations.
