Biowaste must be collected and separated from mixed waste.

(For subscribers.) Biowaste recycling must be increased. Research projects show the reasons why sorting is not always successful. If Finland does not increase the recycling rate of municipal waste quickly, the state faces a fine. Finland has already been subject to EU infringement proceedings because it appears that we will not be able to meet the increasingly stringent recycling targets for this year or even the coming years. According to the latest statistics, Finland's recycling rate is only 48%, while the EU's target is 55% this year. According to the European Commission, one of the main reasons for the slowdown in recycling is that the sorting efficiency of biowaste and plastic waste in particular is weak in Finland. A large part of the waste that could be recycled is sent to incineration plants in mixed waste and energy waste bags. Biowaste in close-up A significant part of municipal waste is biowaste. Therefore, the recycling rate increases or decreases largely depending on how efficiently biowaste is sorted and collected separately. Efficient recycling of biowaste not only helps achieve environmental goals, but also helps produce phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers and biogas, thereby supporting self-sufficiency and security of supply. In recent years, Finland has succeeded in getting biowaste collected and removed from mixed waste bags. The share of biowaste in mixed waste...