Waste sorting and disposal

When you sort your waste, you are doing an important work to reuse raw materials. Sorted waste gets separated and materials like plastic, metal, and glass are reused for making new items. Biowaste on the other hand is reused as a fuel and soil for growing crops. Did you know that for example glass can be reused forever? The reuse of raw materials is much more environmentally friendly than producing new materials.

Also, sorting makes sense economically. Mixed waste is the most expensive type of trash. If there is a material in the wrong recycling bin that doesn’t belong there, the whole bin turns into mixed waste. For example, if a glass jar is found in bio waste, the trash truck doesn’t empty it. Instead, an expensive mixed waste trash truck is called on site to collect the trashes.

We collect seven types of trash in all our properties. By clicking the type of waste, you can go to HSY website to read more about the type and the right way to sort it.

Bio waste
Plastic
Paper
Metal
Glass
Cardboard
Mixed waste

Some of our properties have less space for garbage collection. In some cases, the collection points are located only in one of the garbage rooms at the property. If you can’t find the recycling you are looking for at your closest garbage room, check the other ones at your property!

Typically, there are more types of waste in a household than the seven we already collect at our properties. Luckily these kinds of waste don’t usually accumulate quickly, and a visit once or twice a year will be enough to sort the waste right. At Helsinki region there are plenty of sorting stations around, so you are sure to find one close to where you live. You should also keep an eye out for touring collection vehicles, which pick up hazardous waste around capital area annually.

Clicking the name of waste type takes you to HSY website to read more about sorting it and the locations of collection points:

Large objects
Electric and electronic equipment
Hazardous waste
Clothing and textiles
Medicine
Batteries can be returned to a store that sells batteries. Sometimes the collection point is at the back of the store, so if you don’t see one, you can ask if the old batteries can be left to the cashier.
Items that are clean and in good condition: flea market, Kierrätyskeskus, Fida, SPR Kontti

Hoas waste containers are emptied according to a schedule. You can find a QR code from the garbage room at your property, and you can see the collection timetable by scanning the QR code. Unfortunately, properties with a deep collection or pipe system don’t have the QR codes since they can’t be firmly attached anywhere nearby.

Remember to keep the garbage room tidy. You shouldn’t leave trashes or trash bags on the floor of the room: if there are too many trashes on the floor and the containers can’t be easily rolled out, they won’t get emptied. Trash truck workers are not responsible to remove trashes on the ground but only the containers. Additionally, any trash left on the floor/ground will attract pests.

Some of Hoas’ newer properties have a pipe system for waste collection. The hatch is opened with a key fob, which you can collect from the Hoas office, if you live in a property that has a collection pipe.

Read more about pipe systems: