Disposable cups are sorted into plastic or carton packaging based on their material. Photo: HSY
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As midsummer festivities approach, Helsinki Region Environmental Services (HSY) has released practical guidance for waste sorting during seasonal grilling and picnicking.
Households are reminded to dispose of cooled grill charcoal in mixed waste, securely packed, for example, in a plastic bag. To prevent grill contamination, foil or trays are recommended, and should be reused when possible. Damaged foil and trays belong in metal recycling.
“Aluminium can be recycled indefinitely without loss of quality,” said Minna Partti, specialist at HSY. “Recycling aluminium saves up to 95 percent of the energy needed to produce new material.”
Empty gas bottles should be returned or repurposed. They must never go in mixed waste due to safety risks. Spent canisters should be taken to Sortti stations as hazardous waste. Small disposable cartridges, under 100ml, may also be dropped at Sortti containers for hazardous materials.
Broken barbecues, whether gas, electric or charcoal, can be taken to a Sortti station free of charge. Electric models are classified as electronic waste; others go into metal collection. Disposable grills may be sorted into household metal collection or Rinki recycling points, once completely cooled charcoal is removed.
In summer kitchens, wooden utensils such as grill sticks or ice cream spoons should be placed in bio-waste. Chicken bones, fish spines, and other food bones are also suitable for bio-waste collection.
Plastic packaging does not require washing. Emptying and scraping is sufficient. A plastic sausage wrapper, for example, can be recycled after draining.
“You don’t need to rinse packaging,” said Partti. “A wipe with paper is enough, and the paper can go into bio-waste.”
Bag-in-box wine pouches should be placed in plastic recycling. The outer cardboard case belongs in carton recycling. The tap and handles, usually plastic, also go to plastic recycling.
To reduce waste during picnics, residents are advised to use reusable tableware. Empty takeaway containers and cups should be sorted according to material type—either plastic or carton. Disposable plates and plastic cutlery, however, belong in mixed waste.
HSY encourages checking its online Waste Guide for more advice during Juhannus celebrations.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
