The basic waste management charge is a dwelling-specific annual fee that will be used to cover waste management services that are free of charge to households at time of use, as well as official waste management operations. Waste guidance and information will also be arranged, and acceptance of recyclable waste free of charge will be expanded at our sites. The grounds for the basic charge are defined in the Waste Act (646/2011). The charge will secure the waste management services required by law regardless of the amount of combustible waste generated. Covering services with a basic charge is more equitable for residents, as everyone pays for services that are in shared use.
The introduction of the basic charge is based on the decision of Waste Management Board Kolmenkierto to improve the service level of waste management. The decision to introduce the basic charge was made in January 2020 and the charge was introduced at the start of 2022. The new service level description specifies the goals and direction for the development of Kiertokapula’s operations. The increase in service level involves, among other things, expanding the network of waste take-back points, and is financed by revenue from basic charges. You can read more about the service level on the Waste Management Board Kolmenkierto website. (in Finnish)
The amount of the basic charge in 2022 was decided in the waste fee regulations. There are three fee categories for the basic charge.
| Fee category (prices incl. VAT 24%) | Price €/month | Price €/year |
| Permanent residences (1–4 apartments on the property) | 3.00 | 36.00 |
| Permanent residences (5 or more apartments on the property) | 2.00 | 24.00 |
| Holiday homes | 1.50 | 18.00 |
Five answers about the basic charge:
1. What new services will the basic charge provide?
19 different types of waste will be accepted from households free of charge after the introduction of the basic charge.
Our service network will be expanded with new waste stations. The transport distances of residents will become shorter and the opening hours of self-service stations will be extended. Longer opening hours have been requested for our waste treatment sites, and small-scale waste stations will be able to meet this need.
In the future, it will be possible to deliver brushwood to us free of charge every day.
This is also likely to affect peak periods at our waste treatment sites, meaning that people would no longer have to come at the most congested times.
2. Will the basic charge encourage recycling?
Yes, as it will now be possible to dispose of a wider range of waste more affordably. When waste can be delivered where it is accepted free of charge, it will no longer be adding to the mixed waste load of your own container. When there is less waste to fill up the container, it also needs to be emptied less often, which means savings for you. Of course, you should remember to report the longer emptying interval or reduce the size of the container.
In the future, the emptying fee for waste containers would be based mainly on the amount of waste to be treated, as administrative costs would be covered by the basic charge. Administrative costs and hazardous waste acceptance costs would be eliminated from the emptying fee of the mixed waste container.
3. Is the basic charge personal or dwelling-specific?
The basic charge is dwelling-specific.
4. Will the basic charge always stay the same?
Going forward, the basic charge amount will be calculated each year in connection with the tariff proposal. The Waste Management Board confirms the waste tariff annually. The calculations are based on the costs of the previous year.
5. Is the basic charge just a way to collect more money?
According to the Waste Act, municipal residents and other waste management service users must be informed of the accumulated amount of the waste charge and basic charge, if any, and for what purposes the money has been spent. This information is presented on our website, where Kiertokapula’s annual report and financial statements are published. The use of the basic charge will be reported in the manner required by the Waste Act in connection with Kiertokapula’s financial statements.
Kiertokapula is a social enterprise that does not distribute dividends to its owners.
Questions and answers about the basic charge have been compiled on the website of the Waste Management Board Kolmenkierto (only in Finnish).
More information can also be found in Kiertokapula’s FAQ section (only in Finnish).
For more information about the basic charge, please contact Kiertokapula’s guidance, tel. 075 753 0000 or by email neuvonta[at]kiertokapula.fi.
