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    How do you sort household waste in Helsinki?

    The main waste types used by HSY in the capital region.

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    Short answer

    HSY, which runs household waste services in the Helsinki region, defines biowaste as food waste from cooking or serving, such as vegetable peels and leftovers, and inedible fruit, berries and food plants. Packaging waste is plastic, cardboard, glass and metal used to pack products. Mixed waste is burnable waste that cannot be reused or recycled as material. Wrongly sorted waste and extra waste left outside bins cause extra costs for the property.

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    Why

    1. HSY defines biowaste, packaging waste and mixed waste.
    2. HSY says wrongly sorted waste causes extra costs.
    3. HSY says sorting packaging can cut a property's waste costs by up to a fifth.

    Details

    HSY advises packing biowaste in a paper bag or a biodegradable plastic bag and closing it well.

    Tip

    Look at the labels on the bins in your building's waste room. They show what goes where.

    What may differ

    Bottles and cans with a deposit go back to the shop, not to the packaging bin.

    Common misconception

    In Finland all rubbish goes into one bin.

    What actually happens

    Biowaste and packaging are sorted separately from mixed waste.

    People also ask

    • Where can you return bottles and cans in Finland?
    • How much mixed waste do Helsinki households produce?
    • How do you get rid of a Christmas tree in Helsinki?

    Sources

    This answer is for reference only. Opening hours, prices and services change, so check the official sources before you go.

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