Finland, along with several other EU Member States, has received an early warning that it may not meet the recycling objectives set for municipal waste and plastic packaging waste. In response, national and industry stakeholders are emphasizing the need for stronger cooperation and targeted awareness campaigns to improve sorting and recycling rates.
Legislative Developments: Circular Economy Act in Preparation
The Finnish Ministry of the Environment is currently preparing a new Circular Economy Act, which will replace the existing Waste Act. As part of this legislative process, the ministry is considering measures to promote recycling and limit waste incineration. One of the proposed actions includes conducting a life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the impact of expanding packaging waste collection to properties with fewer than five households.
However, producer representatives have estimated that such an expansion would only modestly increase the recycling rate. In support of this view, the business community—including FPP, Sumi, and Rinki—has submitted a joint statement. Their main message: the most effective way to boost recycling is to encourage consumers to sort waste and motivate companies to recycle plastic packaging rather than dispose of it as energy waste.
Lessons from Sweden: Limited Gains, Higher Costs
Experiences from Sweden support the Finnish industry’s assessment. Sweden has introduced a phased obligation to provide plastic collection bins in every household, including detached homes. While the model is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026, early observations show that this measure has only slightly increased plastic recycling, while doubling the costs.
“Collecting plastic packaging from every household is only one way of achieving recycling targets. It is important to ensure that the material of plastic packaging is designed to be recycled and that there is sufficient demand for recycled plastic,” says Henrik Nilsson, Development and PR Manager at Näringslivets Producentansvar i Sverige AB (NPA).
Infrastructure and Cooperation: The 80/80/80 Rule
According to Joachim Quoden, Managing Director of EXPRA, achieving the EU’s 50% recycling target for plastic packaging requires fulfilling the 80/80/80 rule:
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80% of packaging placed on the market must be recyclable
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80% of that must be sorted for recycling
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80% must be successfully recovered in the recycling process
This demands efficient collection systems, modern sorting facilities, and extensive cooperation across households, businesses, and public spaces. Mr Quoden notes that in many countries, cooperation is still lacking, and information sharing is hindered by business confidentiality.
Communication and Marketing: Changing Consumer Behavior
Improving sorting behavior—both at home and in the workplace—is essential. Rinki, in collaboration with FPP and Sumi, has developed a multi-annual marketing communication concept aimed at changing consumer attitudes and providing up-to-date information on sorting plastic packaging.
“Even though many believe they sort correctly and have a positive attitude, too much plastic waste still ends up in mixed waste,” says Pirjo Hästbacka, Communication Manager at Rinki.
Currently, Finns sort only 3–4 out of 10 plastic packages into the correct collection bins. The new campaign aims to raise this to 8 out of 10, supporting Finland’s journey toward meeting EU recycling targets.
“Changing attitudes and behavior is possible when the whole sector collaborates. We invite all stakeholders to join us in communicating, and we will launch the new campaign to the business customers of the producer organisations at the end of summer,” adds Hästbacka.