Plastic, metal or mixed waste?

The shiny inner surface of coffee packaging and crisp packets can be misleading. However, most of them are mainly made of plastic. When empty, put them in the plastic packaging container. An empty toothpaste tube also belongs in the plastic packaging collection.

An empty pizza box goes in the cardboard packaging container. Remove any leftover food and flatten the box. If you cannot remove the food residue or the box is mouldy, put it in mixed waste.

Milk and juice cartons also belong in the cardboard packaging collection. Empty and flatten the cartons. You do not need to remove a plastic cap that is attached to the carton.

Coffee grounds, coffee filters, tea bags and used paper towels belong in bio-waste. You can put an egg carton in either bio-waste or the cardboard packaging container. Baking paper belongs in mixed waste.

Do not pour cooking oil or fat down the drain. You can wipe up a small amount with a paper towel and put the towel in bio-waste. Put a larger amount of liquid fat in a tightly sealed container, such as a plastic bottle or a sealed milk carton, and place it in mixed waste.

Only empty glass jars and non-deposit glass bottles belong in the glass packaging collection. Remove caps and lids. You do not need to remove labels or the rings around bottle necks.

A broken drinking glass should be placed in mixed waste. Glass oven dishes, glass coffee pots, crystal, mirrors, porcelain and ceramics also belong in mixed waste. Wrap sharp pieces carefully. Take large glass items and larger quantities of glass to a Sortti Station.

You can place an unusable frying pan or saucepan in your building's metal collection container if it fits. You do not need to remove a plastic handle. However, a glass lid belongs in mixed waste.

Aluminium foil and trays, food cans, metal lids, cutlery, scissors, screws and the metal cups from tealight candles also belong in the metal collection.

If a frying pan, saucepan or other item can still be used, offer it to someone else first.

A manual toothbrush and the replacement brush head of an electric toothbrush belong in mixed waste. A complete electric toothbrush belongs in the collection for electrical equipment.

A completely empty metal hairspray or deodorant can belongs in the metal collection. The can is empty when you cannot hear any liquid moving inside and it does not hiss when you press the nozzle. If it still contains product or pressure, take it to a hazardous waste collection point.

Liquid nail polish is hazardous waste. You can put an empty and completely dry glass nail polish bottle in the glass packaging collection.

Cotton buds, cotton pads and wet wipes belong in mixed waste. Do not flush them down the toilet, as they may block the drain.

Return expired and unused medicines to a pharmacy. Do not put them in mixed waste or pour them down the drain. Ask the pharmacy how to pack the medicines before returning them.

Return used batteries and small rechargeable batteries to a shop that sells them. Cover the battery terminals with tape as soon as you remove the battery from a device. Incorrectly sorted batteries can cause a fire.

Devices that use electricity or batteries are electrical and electronic waste. In Finland, this type of waste is commonly referred to as SER waste. Most of our properties have a separate collection container for these items. It is suitable for mobile phones, chargers, headphones, electric toothbrushes and other small electrical devices.

If your building does not have a SER container or the device does not fit inside it, take the device to an electrical equipment collection point. Do not leave it on the floor or next to a container in the waste shelter (waste collection area).

LED and energy-saving light bulbs belong in SER collection. Incandescent and halogen light bulbs belong in mixed waste.

Sell or donate clothes, shoes and household textiles that are still in good condition.

Clean, dry and worn-out clothes and household textiles can be taken to a textile waste collection point. Pack them tightly in a plastic bag to keep them clean and dry.

Wet, mouldy or oily textiles belong in mixed waste. Socks and underwear should also be placed in mixed waste.

Furniture, mattresses, large metal items and renovation waste do not belong in your building's waste containers. Do not leave them on the floor or outside the waste  collection area either.

Donate usable items for reuse and take other large items to a Sortti Station. Residents are responsible for removing their own large items. Items left in the waste collection area make it more difficult to empty the waste containers and result in unnecessary costs.