Waste sorting guide for households

Take to the container for recyclable waste provided on the premises or an eco-recycling point.

Plastic packages

• Plastic food packages, such as yoghurt cups and cold cuts and cheese packages
• Detergent and shampoo bottles
• Plastic bottles, canisters and containers
• Plastic carriers, bags and wrappings
• Only clean and dry packages.

Throw dirty packages into mixed waste to energy.

Textiles

• Clothes
• Shoes
• Home textiles and soft furnishings

Only undamaged and clean textiles, packed in closed bags. Textiles unfit for use should be disposed of amongst mixed waste to energy.

Paper

• Newspaper and magazines
• Ads and other junk mail
• Envelopes
• Copying paper
• Phone directories and books

Put paper into the collection bin loose.

Staples or paper clips do not need to be removed.

Cardboard / carton packages

• Milk and juice cartons
• Biscuit boxes, flour bags, pizza boxes
• Wrapping of beverage packages
• Cardboard boxes

Rinse out dirty packages. Flatten out and pack tightly.

Glass packages

• Glass jars
• Non-refundable glass bottles

Rinse out bottles and jars, remove corks and lids. It is not necessary to remove labels or bottle collars.

Glass packages are recommended to be delivered to the Rinki ecopoint.

Glass and ceramics

• Glass jars 
• Porcelain, ceramics and crystal
• Mirror glass
• Opal glass
• Glass medicine packs

Metal packages

• Metal cans, metal caps and lids
• Aluminium foil
• Metal cups from tea lights and outdoor candles
• Empty and dried up paint tins

Small quantities of other household metal

Only clean and empty packages and cans. Take large-size metal  junk to the waste centre or sorting station.

Metal packages are recommended to be delivered to the Rinki ecopoint.

Other metal waste

• Pots and pans
• Cutlery
• Electric cables and data cables
• Small household metal

Find your nearest eco-recycling point: www.kierratys.info 
Find more information about sorting of packages: www.rinkiin.fi/for-households

TAKE TO A COMPOSTER OR COLLECTION CONTAINER FOR BIO-WASTE

Biowaste

• Food leftovers
• Fruit and vegetable skins
• Coffee grounds, tea bags
• Kitchen paper
• Plants

Pack liquids to a milk carton and throw it into the collection container.

Pack biowaste before throwing it into the collection container. You can use plastic or newspaperi for packing.

TAKE TO A CONTAINER OF MIXED WASTE TO ENERGY

Mixed waste to energy

• Hygiene products
• Clothing unfit for use, footwear, home textiles and soft furnishing
• Dust bags and waste from normal household cleaning
• Cigarette ends and ash
• Incandescent bulbs and halogen light bulbs
• Chewing gum
• Pet litter 
• Plastics and expanded polystyrene (EPS)
• Dirty cardboards, papers and plastic packages
• Gift wraps and wrapping papers
• Small-size wood-based waste

SORT CORRECTLY AND TAKE TO A COLLECTION POINT

Hazardous waste

• Remnants of liquid paint, glue and varnish (not hardened); also in aerosol cans
• Solvents such as turpentine, thinner and acetone
• New Year’s tin and lead
• Batteries from vehicles and power tools
• Used oils, oily wastes (e.g. cotton waste) and oil filters
• Plant-protective agents and pesticides along with their packages
• Wood-protective liquids and impregnating agents
• Toxicants and disinfectants

Take domestic hazardous waste to Majasaari Waste Centre or a Waste Sorting Station, free of charge. 

Batteries and small rechargable batteries

Put some sticky tape on the power poles both for button cells and other lithium batteries and accumulators with an LI marking as a prefix.

Seal leaking batteries in a plastic bag.

Take batteries and small rechargeable batteries to their sales outlets, free of charge for households

Electric equipment 

• All plug-in or battery-operated devices
• Refrigerators, freezers, TV-sets, computers
• Vacuum cleaners, coffee machines, phones, radios
• Fluorescent tubes, energy saving bulbs, LED lamps

Take electric equipment to the sales outlets when buying a new device or to a Waste Sorting Station or other reception station accepted by the producer associations (for excample Recycling Centre Entrinki), free of charge for households.

Pharmaceutical waste

• Pills and tablets in their own blister foil packs or loose in transparent bags
• Pharmaceuticals containing iodine and chemotherapeutic drugs in their own packaging
• Liquid medicines, ointments, creams and spray bottles in their own packages
• Mercury thermometers in packages
• Hypodermic needles and syringes in packages

Take pharmaceutical waste to a pharmacy, free of charge for households

More information on waste sorting and eco-recycling point locations on the web pages of Kierrätysinfo: www.kierrätys.info and Ekokymppi: www.ekokymppi.fi 

Majasaari Waste Centre (in Finnish)
Waste Sorting Stations (in Finnish)

Thank you for sorting waste!

Municipal Waste Authority of Kainuu

Municipal Waste Authority of Kainuu (Ekokymppi) was established in 2001 and it co-operates with nine municipalities; Hyrynsalmi, Kajaani, Kuhmo, Paltamo, Puolanka, Ristijärvi, Sotkamo, Suomussalmi and Vaala. Ekokymppi is responsible for the management of waste in its operating area. 

Ekokymppi takes care of reception, recycling, treatment and final disposal of waste and consultation / information on the waste matters in the province of Kainuu and Vaala community. Ekokymppi has organised wide and environmentally friendly waste receiving services for its inhabitants.

Domestic waste is collected mainly by the waste transport companies in the residential areas. Some 130 Local Waste Collection Points are situated in the areas of scattered settlement for summer residents and homes that have not a deal with the waste transport companies. Each one of the nine communities has a Waste Station for hazardous waste and  for small quantities of sorted recyclable materials. Majasaari Waste Centre is situated in Kajaani.  

Approximately 30 Eco-Recycling Points for recyclable materials like paper, cardboard, glass and metal packaging are located in the province of Kainuu and Vaala community (Rinki Oy takes care of them).

Contact us:
Kainuun jätehuollon kuntayhtymä Ekokymppi
Viestitie 2
87700 Kajaani
tell. 08 636611 Monday – Friday 9.00 am to 3.00 pm
info@ekokymppi.fi