Environmental guidelines for cottages and other holiday homes in Espoo

Wastewater from kitchens, toilets, and washing accounts for a large share of the environmental impact of cottage life. Wastewater must be treated properly so that it does not contaminate well water, prevent swimming or cause eutrophication in nearby water bodies.

By law, a cottage must have a wastewater system suitable for the property. Wastewater systems used at holiday homes are subject to the same requirements as those used in sparsely populated areas. Read more about system requirements.

Different wastewater systems are suitable for treating different types of wastewater. Read more about systems and their maintenance.

The Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority (HSY) is in charge of waste management in Espoo. Properties used as holiday homes are also required to join HSY’s waste management system.

Holiday homes are not required to separately collect biowaste or other recyclable waste. However, recycling is recommended, as it reduces the amount of mixed waste and, consequently, waste management fees. Composted biowaste can also be used for garden plants. 

Read more about waste management regulations (HSY(external link, opens in a new window))

Even at the cottage, it is important to reduce the amount of waste and ensure that materials are recycled as efficiently as possible. Recycling points are available, for example, for plastic, cardboard and glass packaging, as well as for hazardous waste. Check the nearest recycling points (Kierrätys.info website).(external link, opens in a new window)

Disposal of waste by burning is prohibited. Burning of brushwood and garden waste is allowed in certain situations. Read more about burning under ‘Smoke emissions’.

You do not have to submit a composting notification to HSY for composting garden waste. However, you must submit a notification if you compost:

• food waste (leftovers), or
• toilet waste.

Submit a composting notification (HSY)(external link, opens in a new window) 

Garden waste includes brushwood, branches, grass and tree leaves. They can be composted in a composter, a compost frame or in an open pile on your own property. Inedible berries and fruits are not considered garden waste; they are classified as food waste.

Food waste includes food items and leftovers. They can be composted in a closed and well-ventilated composter designed for food waste. Access by pests must be prevented. The composter must not cause harm to health or the environment.

Toilet waste includes dry toilet waste, pet faeces, and sludge from small treatment plants containing toilet waste. They can be composted in a closed and well-ventilated composter or dry toilet designed for composting toilet waste. The composter or toilet must be watertight so that no liquid leaks into the ground. The composter must be properly maintained. Post-composting must continue for at least one year after no new toilet waste is added. Toilet waste must not be buried in the ground, mixed with other waste, or taken to a regional waste collection point.

Read the composting guide and learn how to compost successfully and without causing harm (HSY)(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish)

The disposal of waste and other materials by burning is prohibited under the waste management regulations of the capital region. The prohibition applies, for example, to the following materials:

• rubbish
• pressure- and surface-treated wood
• plywood
• plastics
• other poorly combustible materials.

The best way to dispose of garden waste is to compost it. However, the open burning of brushwood and other non-hazardous garden waste is permitted outside built-up areas provided that:

• burning is occasional
• neighbours are far away
• the smoke does not disturb others, and 
• there is no forest fire warning in force in the area.

If the fire produces a lot of smoke, notify the Rescue Department (pelastustoimi.fi)(external link, opens in a new window).

Using a fireplace or stove always produces smoke, i.e. emissions. The emissions contain fine particles and other substances that are harmful to health. They also make the environment less pleasant.

The colour of the smoke rising from the chimney indicates how cleanly the wood is burning. The darker the smoke, the more harmful fine particles and impurities it contains. When the smoke is almost colourless, the wood is burning cleanly and the environmental impact is low.

You can burn wood cleanly if you have a good-quality fireplace, use dry and clean wood, and light the fire correctly. You can ask a chimney sweep for advice on the proper use of a fireplace. 

Read more about how to burn wood cleanly (HSY)(external link, opens in a new window)

If there is no road access to the island, the maintenance of a wastewater system can be challenging. This is something to consider when choosing a system.

HSY does not empty tanks on islands without road access. For example, septic tanks still need to be emptied once a year. It is therefore advisable to choose a system that you can maintain yourself. 

Suitable toilet systems for islands include:

• waterless toilets (such as evaporating, incinerating or freezing toilets)
• dry toilets (composting toilets).

When choosing the system for treating greywater (water from kitchens and washing facilities), the amount of water should be taken into account:

• Small amounts of washing water can be infiltrated into the ground through a special infiltration structure, such as an infiltration well, soakaway pit or stone-filled soakaway pit. If the washing water contains grease, it is advisable to install a small septic tank to remove the grease before infiltration.
• For larger volumes of water, suitable solutions include a greywater filter, a soil infiltration system or a soil filtration system.

Read more about wastewater systems and their maintenance.

In Espoo, HSY is in charge of waste management for holiday homes. You can arrange waste management in the following ways, for example:

1. Arrange for a waste bin to be placed on the mainland in a location with road access.
2. Agree on the use of the waste collection point at your marina.
3. Use a regional mixed waste collection point (Sortti stations).
4. Order waste collection in the archipelago (Stara).

Read more about waste management for holiday homes (HSY)(external link, opens in a new window)

Make use of recycling points to reduce the amount of mixed waste. Check the nearest recycling points (Kierrätys.info website).(external link, opens in a new window)