In the event of a prolonged power outage, people should defecate in a large bucket with a lid.
That's one of the instructions included in new guidelines on how people should prepare for exceptional circumstances — such as disruptions to waste and water management services — as drafted by the Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities.
To meet this need, the association advises Finnish households to keep a 10-litre bucket on standby in case the toilet does not work.
Previously, the association told people to put a plastic bag under the toilet seat lid if a toilet cannot be flushed due to a power cut.
However, this is no longer recommended as the plastic bag may end up in the drain or could break when being removed — especially if the blackout were to continue for a longer period of time.
The guidelines have therefore been reviewed and renewed, the association's Development Manager Ari Korhonen said.
Municipalities prepare for worst case scenarios
The consequences of long power outages has been a matter of public discussion and consideration in Finland, especially since Russia invaded Ukraine over three years ago.
After Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago, a discussion began in Finland about the consequences of long power outages.
Electricity is needed to pump water around the sewer network. If a power outage were to last for several days, the water supply would be cut off and it would not be possible to flush toilets.
In 2022, the City of Helsinki told teachers and schoolchildren they should defecate in a plastic bag if there was a prolonged power cut during the school day. Similar advice was previously distributed by the Ministry of Defence.
This wider discussion led to the Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities drafting up new guidelines in conjunction with the Finnish Water Utilities Association and Kivo, a body representing waste management organisations.
Such guidelines on how to deal with large-scale disruptions to civilian infrastructure have never previously been published in Finland.
"A disruption to the sewer system has never previously been considered possible," Korhonen said.
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