Why is sorting biowaste worthwhile?

Recycling is not only trendy, but also the only way to maintain the carrying capacity of our planet. Starting separate collection or composting of biowaste is worthwhile because:

1 Making the world more sustainable

By separating biowaste from mixed waste, you contribute to the EU’s circular economy goals and reduce climate change. At the same time, you reduce the amount of waste incinerated in waste-to-energy plants and promote nutrient cycling and utilisation. Did you know that a third of household waste is biowaste? It is by far the largest single type of household waste.

2 Biowaste is turned into renewable energy and mulch

You produce raw material for biogas production, which produces renewable transport fuel. Biogas can also be used in heating and as energy for production plants. The digestate from biogas production, on the other hand, can be utilised as a soil improver instead of traditional fertilisers. Biowaste can also be composted directly into soil, where new raw material grows for the dinner table.

3 Biowaste is cheaper than mixed waste

By collecting or composting biowaste separately, you can apply for an extension of the emptying interval for your mixed waste container. This will also reduce your mixed waste bill. The emptying interval can be up to 12 weeks. By sorting all useful waste to recycling points, you reduce the amount of waste placed in the mixed waste container. You can calculate the savings opportunity for yourself. Check the emptying price of the mixed waste container on the waste invoice and estimate the longest possible emptying interval for your property.

4 Reduced odour nuisance

If biowaste is not sorted, it starts to smell easily in the mixed waste container, especially in summer. The new biowaste collection containers are ventilated so that air can circulate in the container. When dried, biowaste does not cause odours and, unlike a normal biocontainer, its emptying interval can be up to four weeks every year round, and no protective bags are needed for them!

5 You meet a legal obligation

As a result of the reform of the Waste Act, the obligation to collect biowaste was extended from 19.7.2024 to all residential properties located in urban settlements with more than 10,000 inhabitants. In the Loimi-Häme Waste Management area, this means urban areas starting from the centres of Sastamala and Forssa, from which the Forssa area also extends to the municipalities of Jokioinen and Tammela. In other areas, joining collection or composting is voluntary.

Emptying frequencies of biodegradable waste bins

	Summer (weeks 18–40)	Winter (weeks 41–17)	Requires an application or notification to the Waste Committee.
Biodegradable waste	2 weeks	4 weeks	No
Biodegradable waste in a ventilated bin	4 weeks	4 weeks	No
Biodegradable waste collected in a deep collection container or a container equipped with mechanical cooling	2 weeks	4 weeks	No