In eight new locations around the Tallinn Tallinn, the largest city and capital of Estonia (population 440 000). Old Town new plastic-metal, beverage carton, cardboard-paper packaging and glass packaging containers were set, primarily to promote separate collection of waste.

Nearly 60% of all the waste consists of packaging. Their separate collection does not create more waste, but significantly reduces the volume of municipal waste. 

Tootjavastuorganisatsioon OÜ (TVO) statistics show that one household produces two to three 150 litre bags of packages per month. The separate collection of waste is the only way of improving the possibility of waste recycling. 

Tallinn Tallinn, the largest city and capital of Estonia (population 440 000). Deputy Mayor Joosep Vimm said that making environmentally friendly choices must be convenient. “I believe that these eight new package disposal locations will encourage the citizens of Old Town to sort their waste more carefully,“ said Vimm. „It is also important to remember that unsorted waste disposal is the most expensive way of disposing waste. This means that the cheapest way to reduce mixed municipal waste is to sort it properly.“

Previously, residents of the Old Town did not have the option of handing over packaging waste at public packaging points. “Public waste disposal bins represent a new greener era of waste disposal in the Old Town. I believe it is undoubtedly a positive change by which we can improve our culture of waste disposal.” said City District Governor Monika Haukanõmm. “Undoubtedly, convenient waste disposal is important for people and if those waste collection points are close to home, it will improve environmentally friendly behavior and it seems that separate collection of packaging is the only way to do so.” 

In these public waste disposal points, the residents of Old Town will be able to bring their waste into three different containers. Marked with a blue information tag is the disposal bin of cardboard-paper packaging, the one marked with a green information tag is provided for class packages and the container with a yellow information tag is provided for beverage cartons.

The public waste disposal containers in the Old Town are located near Aia St 11, Toompuiestee T2 (near Balti jaam Balti jaam ( Tallinn Tallinn, the largest city and capital of Estonia (population 440 000). Baltic Station) is the main railway station in Estonia.  ), Suurtüki St 4a, Falgi St 4, the Valli St parking area, near the Wismari St parking area, near Viru St 27a and also Vana-Posti St 8. 

Packages suitable for disposal in these containers are the following:  

  • For cardboard-paper packaging containers: compressed cardboard boxes and cartons, paper bags, wrapping paper, adhesive-taped cardboard boxes 
  • For plastic and metal packaging and beverage carton containers: most plastic cartons, cups and bottles with labels, plastic bags, packaging film, cans and beverage cans 
  • Glass containers: soft drink bottles, alcoholic drinks bottles, jars and food cans

All packages must be emptied before throwing them in the container. If the packages have waste residue on them, the recycling of them is more complicated as factories will not usually accept waste with residue. 

Not all packages must be washed but it would be best to rince the carton boxes so that their residue will not smear on other clean packages.

If a package contains different types of material it should be removed from the package before throwing it into the container.

The packages should be thrown into the containers without a closed plastic bag as the machinery which recycles the waste could not open the bags itself. Because of this the bags filled with recyclable material could be burned and not recycled.