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    How many bottles and cans do Finns return each year?

    Return figures by package type and region.

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    Short answer

    Palpa reported that Finns returned about 2.3 billion beverage packages in 2024, a record and 130 million more than in 2023. More than 1.5 billion of them were cans, about 700 million plastic bottles and 130 million glass bottles. On average every Finn returned 420 packages. Lapland was the most active region with 527 packages per resident, and the top municipalities were Utsjoki, Kittilä and Inari.

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    Why

    1. Verkkouutiset reports Palpa's 2024 figures by package type.
    2. Yle reports the record and the 130 million increase.
    3. Yle names Utsjoki, Kittilä and Inari as the top municipalities.

    Details

    Palpa uses a closed loop: returned bottles and cans are made into new bottles and cans.

    Tip

    Return your empties before you leave. A package thrown in the bin loses its deposit.

    What may differ

    Figures for 2025 may differ. Palpa publishes new statistics each year.

    Common misconception

    Most deposit packages in Finland end up in the bin.

    What actually happens

    Finns return well over 90% of deposit packages.

    People also ask

    • How much is the bottle deposit in Finland?
    • Where can you return bottles and cans in Finland?
    • Can you drink alcohol in public in Finland?

    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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