Journeying

Last week, I was invited to read a topic on small-m-serious blog. That is a good topic to share, Garbage Collecting system in Kyoto, Japan. Well, I think I should share also the Garbage collecting system in Finland.

Honestly, I don’t know how to discard my garbage after arrived in Turku last September. In Malaysia, we used to throw everything is a big black plastic beg but not here. At first I really like rat (friend of mine in Japan now had described well about this situation) keep all garbage in my room. Later, I start to learn how to discard my garbage.

In Finland, they separate the garbage to recyclable wastes and can’t recyclable wastes. It is very convenient to separate your garbage because there are several garbage containers near to housing area. You no need to carry your garbage far away to discard them. The garbage containers are about 100m at the corner of your apartment or house.

The non-recyclable wastes are the waste hardly to separate. For batteries, and electronic components, they are labelled as problem waste. I have to discard them into a specific collection bin not into non-recyclable waste collection bin. The recyclable wastes are separated to Bio waste (Biojäte), Glass (Lasi), Metal (Metalli), Paper (Paperi) and Cardboard (Keräyskartonki). How to use it?

For Bio waste (Biojäte) collection bin

You discard all organic material like peels of fruit, vegetables, coffee grounds with filter bags, tea bags, food waste, eggshells, kitchen roll paper, paper napkins, compost, plant waste, cleaning waste from anima cages and cat sand into the Bio waste bin. Bio waste is collected in paper bag or newspaper.

You can’t put plastic, glass, metal, other materials that don’t decompose, materials that can poison the compost (batteries), products made from synthetic fibres, leather or rubber, cigarette0butts, vacuum cleaner bags, napkins or sanitary towels, ashes or lime into Bio waste collection bin.

For Glass (Lasi) collection bin

You put the empty bottle or jars of glass into the Glass bin. You have to remove the lids, screw caps and rings made of metal or plastic.

You can’t discard the ceramics, crystal, milk glass, window glass, mirrors, car glass, light bulbs and heat proof glass into the Glass collection bin.

For Metal (Metalli) collection bin

You only put scrap metal for example bicycles that can’t be repaired, stoves, washing machines[the case only, take note here ;)], empty metal cans, and the bottle lids or screw cap made of metal in to the Metal collection bin.

You can’t put the hazardous waste like accumulators, paints into the bin. Besides, the electronic equipment such as televisions, household electronics, refrigerators, freezers into the Metal collection bin. This electronic equipment has to discard separately at other container mainly for this purpose.

For the Paper (Paperi) and Cardboard (Keräyskartonki) collection bin

You discard newspaper, magazines, advertising brochures, envelopes but not cardboard into the Paper collection bin. For the brown corrugated cardboard, carton and thick paper you can discard them into the Cardboard collection bin.

You can’t discard those dirty and wet papers or cardboard, kitchen roll paper, waxed paper, tape plastic or other non-paper materials into these two collection bins.

Wow…sounds like very complicated. At first, yes; but when I start to learn in this way, it becomes a daily practice to me. Finns practice these at all times. They really care about their environment. With the garbage separated well and recycle we can save our natural resources. Agree?

TechTags Plugin [ Garbage Collecting system | Bio waste (Biojäte) | Glass (Lasi) | Metal (Metalli) | Paper (Paperi) and Cardboard (Keräyskartonki) | problem waste ]