Organisation of waste management and responsibilities
Waste management is primarily organised by the waste holder, such as a private person, property holder or company. In Espoo, municipal waste generated by housing and municipal operations is managed by the Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority HSY(external link, opens in a new window).
The municipality or HSY are not responsible for waste to which producer responsibility applies. Producer communities are responsible for the collection of, for example, batteries and accumulators, paper products, electrical and electronic equipment, and cardboard, plastic, metal and glass packaging. They are collected at, for example, Rinki eco take-back points(external link, opens in a new window). HSY collects packaging waste from properties with more than 5 dwellings.
Residential properties and leisure properties are obliged to join the waste management organised by HSY. In addition to mixed waste, biowaste must be sorted separately on all properties with 1–4 apartments (with the exception of holiday homes) starting on 1.7.2023
Upon agreement, HSY may also collect biowaste, plastic, glass and cardboard packaging and small metals from properties with less than 5 dwellings. Properties with less than 5 dwellings may also agree to establish joint collection points. Read more about the joint use of waste containers(external link, opens in a new window)
Following the waste management regulations and legislation, businesses and organisations take care of the identification, sorting and storage as well as the transport and processing of waste and hazardous waste created in their operations.
Read more:
Waste services for properties (HSY)(external link, opens in a new window)