Finland
Producer responsibility for packaging will be extended in Finland when the obligation for organising the take-back of consumer packaging is transferred from municipalities to producers at the beginning of 2016. The Finnish Council of State approved a new decree for packaging and packaging waste in July 2014. The decree stipulates that producers will have to take back fibre, metal and glass packaging at a minimum of 1850 take-back points and plastic packaging at 500 take-back points. In addition, more stringent targets have been placed on the reuse of packaging and the recycling of packaging waste.
Producer responsibility for packaging
Producer responsibility for packaging applies to producers or firms that pack or import packed products for the Finnish market and have a turnover of EUR 1 million or more. Firms may transfer their legal obligation to producer organisations by making a contract with the Finnish Packaging Recycling RINKI Ltd. By making just one contract with RINKI a firm simultaneously becomes a member of the respective producer organisations responsible for attaining the recycling targets for fibre, metal, plastic, glass and wooden packaging.
Consumer packaging take-back scheme
Planning of the take-back scheme is progressing rapidly in Finland. Take-back will be organised by the Finnish Packaging Recycling RINKI Ltd. This is the result of a joint decision taken on 26 May, 2014 by the producer organisations: Mepak-Kierrätys Oy (metal), Suomen Keräyslasiyhdistys ry (glass), Suomen Kuitukierrätys ry (fibre) and Suomen Uusiomuovi Oy (plastic). In addition, Suomen Keräyslasiyhdistys Oy and RINKI Ltd have agreed that RINKI Ltd will organise glass recycling. EPR will enter into force in May 2015. The waste take-back network must be in operation in January 2016.
Legal basis
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The recovery of packaging must be implemented in compliance with the targets that the EU has confirmed with Finland.
EU directives on waste and on packaging and packaging waste have been transposed into Finnish law through the Waste Act 1072/1993 and the Council of State Decision on Packaging and Packaging Waste 962/1997 and the Council of State Decrees 987/2004 and 817/2005.
Waste legislation was amended by the Waste Act amendment 452/2004 through the addition of Chapter 3a concerning producer responsibility. This amendment has formed the basis of producer responsibility for packaging as of 1.9.2004. The most important duties relating to reuse and recovery are based on the aforementioned Council of State Decision 962/1997 and Decree 817/2005.
The revised Waste Act 646/2011 came into force on 1.5.2012. The Council of State Decree on Packaging and Packaging Waste 518/2014 came into force on 3.7.2014.
Facts and figures
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Data 2014
| Population | 5.5 mil. |
| No. of local authorities*) |
320 municipalities (99% covered by PYR) 99% inhabitants covered by system |
| No. of companies in system | 4,800 membres (over 90 % of obliged industry) |
| Packaging introduced to the market 2012 |
2.2mil. tons total amount of licensed packaging |
| Recovered waste 2012 |
1.5mil. tons reused 59% recycling rate 715,700 tons packaging waste was collected |
| Types of packaging | Household**) and commercial |
| *) 1.1.2016 (Region of Aland excluded) **) Consumer packaging take-back scheme in use 1.1.2016 |
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Packaging organisation/s in Finland:
