We're thrilled you've joined the 'We will sort this' campaign!
We believe learning to recycle when young bears fruit later in life and that’s why we encourage you to sort your waste starting right now. Small actions can yield great results when done together. We will sort this!
Discover more about the campaignWhere should I put my waste? Check out the sorting instructions!
Sorting can cause headaches for everyone, especially when trying to sort everything correctly. It’s a good idea to check the guidelines from time to time in case of changes. Here you can find sorting cards that show where the most common household waste should be sorted into.
Yes - sort these
- Leftovers
- Spoiled food
- Fish entrails, remains and peel
- Coffee grounds, filters and tea bags
- Kitchen towels and napkins
- Plants, grass, leaves
Pack biowaste in newspaper, a paper bag, or biodegradable bag before taking it to a waste bin.
Nope – don't put these
- Pet waste, such as litter and excrement
- Liquids
- Ash
- Cigarette butts
- Diapers and bandages
Benefits
The biowaste you sort is recycled into environmentally friendly transport fuel and nutrients for domestic food production.
Yes - sort these
- Plastic food packaging
- Plastic detergent containers
- Plastic bags and wrappers
- Plastic bottles, canisters and jars
Wipe plastic packaging with a paper towel or rinse with cold water.
Nope – don't put these
- Dirty plastic packaging
- Plastic objects such as toys, containers or buckets. Put plastic items in the mixed waste container.
Benefits
Recycling plastic packaging saves energy and oil needed in the plastic production. The plastic packaging you sort is made into various consumer goods, such as dish, toilet and clothes brushes, shoe spoons, flower pots, watering cans and spray bottles, as well as furniture parts.
Yes - sort these
- Carton boxes
- Milk and juice cartons
- Cereal and biscuit boxes
- Disposable paper plates and dishes
- Paper bags and sacks
- Paper tubes and egg boxes
- Wrapping paper
- Carton wrappers for beverages
Rinse and drain the cartons, then flatten them.
Benefits
Plastics and metals are separated from the recycled cardboard packaging after which cardboard is processed into pulp which can be reused to make corrugated cardboard, sleeves and new packaging.
Yes - sort these
- Glass bottles
- Glass jars
Remove caps and lids from glass packaging. Labels and neck rings are allowed.
Nope – don't put these
- Porcelain
- Ceramics
- Glassware
- Lamps
- Mirrors
- Flat glass
- Panes
Benefits
Glass can be unlimitedly recycled without diminishing its quality or purity. Glass packaging is no longer manufactured in Finland but in Europe the recycled glass is used to make new packaging, glass wool or foam glass.
Yes - sort these
- Cans and non-deposit beverage cans
- Aluminium trays and foils
- Pots and frying pans
- Cutlery
- Empty paint cans
- Empty, unpressurised aerosol cans
Nope – don't put these
- A sloshing chemical container e.g. hairspray that still contains product is hazardous waste.
Benefits
Metal can be unlimitedly recycled without diminishing its quality. The recycled metal is crushed, smelted and made into new raw material. Recycled metal is used to make new metal packaging, car and bicycle parts and tools.
Yes - sort these
- Newspapers and magazines
- Flyers
- Envelopes
- Copying and printing paper, graph paper
- Catalogues
Nope – don't put these
- Paper bags, flour bags, and similar packaging (in cardboard recycling)
- Christmas wrapping paper or other gift wrapping paper (in mixed waste)
- Book covers (in mixed waste)
- Wet or dirty paper (in mixed waste)
Benefits
You can save one tree by recycling 70 kilos of paper. The recycled paper circulates as tissue paper and in the insulation industry. Newsprint is also made from it.
Yes - sort these
- Dirty plastic packaging
- Plastic containers and objects
- Dirty paper and cardboard
- Nappies and sanitary towels
- Porcelain, ceramics
- Textiles, leather, rubber
- Incandescent and halogen lamps
- Cosmetics
- Ash, cigarette butts
- Pet waste
Nope – don't put these
Benefits
District heat and electricity are produced from mixed waste. One bag of mixed waste provides warm water for a seven-minute shower and electricity for baking a cake for an hour.
Yes - sort these
- Shirts, pants, skirts and jackets
- Towels, sheets, curtains and tablecloths
Textiles that are unusable but dry, clean and odorless are suitable for end-of-life textiles collection.
Pack end-of-life textiles in a plastic bag (maximum size approx. 30 liters) and seal it well.
Take end-of-life textiles to Nekala waste station, Nextiili, Sokos Tampere (4th floor) Stockmann Tampere (2nd floor) Shopping centre Ideapark in Lempäälä or to Repe and Romu.
Nope – don't put these
- Underwear
- Socks, pantyhose
- Bags, belts, shoes
- Carpets, pillows, blankets, cushions
- Soft toys
- All dirty, wet, moldy and strongly smelling textiles in the end-of-life textiles
These are all mixed waste.
Benefits
The end-of-life textiles you sort are recycled into yarn, new clothes, home textiles, furniture filling and insulation material. Part of the recycled textiles is used as energy.
Promise you'll sort
When sorting biowaste you reduce climate emissions and recycle nutrients. Challenge your friend to make the bio promise too.
Make a bio promiseQuiz yourself on biowaste
Put your biowaste knowledge and sorting skills to the test. Discover something new with the ‘We will sort this’ game. Don’t be a fossil!
Play