Information for producers on the responsibility for clean-up costs
Producers, i.e. manufacturers, importers and packers of the following products, are responsible for the municipal costs of cleaning up litter and organising waste management related to their products:
- packaging of single-portion ready-made meals;
- packaging and wrapping made of flexible materials;
- beverage containers of maximum 3 litres;
- lightweight plastic carrier bags;
- beverage cups (both take-away cups filled at the point of sale and beverage cups sold empty as well as their caps and lids);
- wet wipes intended for personal hygiene and consumer use;
- balloons intended for consumer use;
- tobacco products with filters and cigarette filters.
The easiest way to take care of clean-up costs of these products is to join a producer organisation in your sector. The producer organisation takes care of the extended producer responsibility obligations arising from the Waste Act on behalf of its members, including the responsibility for clean-up costs. Read more about extended producer responsibility.
Transition periods and scope of responsibility by product group
The extent of the producers’ responsibility for clean-up costs depends on the product group.
Producers of tobacco products with filters and cigarette filters are responsible for the following starting on 1 January 2023:
- collection costs
- clean-up costs
- the costs of communications and advisory services provided by municipalities related to the aforementioned activities and the prevention of litter; and
- costs of waste containers of tobacco waste.
Producers of SUP packages (certain packaging of single-portion ready-made meals, packaging and wrapping made of flexible materials, beverage containers, lightweight plastic carrier bags, beverage cups other than those sold empty) are responsible for the collection and clean-up costs arising from these products starting from 1 January 2023.
Producers of beverage cups sold empty are responsible for the collection and clean-up costs of these products starting from 1 January 2025. The municipality reports the costs from 2025 in 2026.
Producers of wet wipes and balloons are responsible for the clean-up costs incurred by the municipality for these products starting from 1 January 2025. The municipality reports the costs from 2025 in 2026.
Producer organisations take care of clean-up costs on behalf of their members
The easiest way for producers to comply with their extended producer responsibilities, including the responsibility for clean-up costs, is to join a producer organisation in their sector.
The producer organisation ensures that all statutory obligations are taken care of.
The producer organisation:
- charges the member producers liable for clean-up costs for each producer’s share of the compensation paid to municipalities
- pays the Finnish Supervisory Authority the municipal compensation which the Authority has obligated by its decision
- reimburses the Finnish Supervisory Authority for the costs incurred from making a decision and collecting and paying the compensation
- commissions a waste composition report
Producer communities as referred here also include the operator of the return system for beverage containers.
Composition report
Under section 48 f of the Waste Act, the producer organisation is responsible for commissioning a waste composition report on behalf of its members.
The composition report is a report on the composition of waste collected and litter cleaned from the municipality’s public areas. Municipalities contribute to the report by providing the data required for it and otherwise assist in commissioning the report.
How is the producer responsibility for costs determined?
A decision will be made in 2026 which will base the calculation of total costs of municipalities on a predetermined fixed cost.
Fixed cost:
- EUR 4.79 per municipal resident,
- which consists of a collection cost of EUR 3.09
- and a clean-up cost of EUR 1.70.
Share compensated by producers:
- Producers compensate municipalities for some of the fixed costs of collection and clean-up.
- The share from the total costs is determined for each SUP product group on the basis of the composition report.
Full compensation paid by producers:
- The costs of tobacco waste bins and related communications are not included in the fixed cost, and municipalities are entitled to a full compensation of these costs from the producers.
Contact information
Customer service for environmental issues
Ask our customer service by using service form (in Finnish)
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: +358 295 256 920 (Monday–Friday 9:00–15:00)