Waste management This summer, a compost inspector may pop up in the yard – a garden waste box alone will not pass the inspection, but there is no need to fear sanctions for rejection

Today in the summer, compost inspectors may pop up in several yard circuits to check that the composter is in order and in working order. However, there is no need to wait for the compost inspector to visit the knuckles in white and cold sweat on the forehead, as inspections are less often carried out completely unexpectedly. After all, the list of requirements for compost is not impossible.

“The composter should be tight, it should have a bottom, walls and a lid. There must be air holes in it, but they must be so small that no pests or rodents can enter, lists the waste agent. Saana Minkkinen From the city of Saarijärvi. The city is part of the South Finland Waste Board ”, which includes 12 municipalities in Central Finland.

“The most common reason for rejection in our area is that this is not a proper composter, but rather a frame for garden waste.”

Other recurring mistakes, according to Minkkinen, are putting biowaste in the composter in biowaste bags or forgetting the litter, when the waste starts to rot and smell.

“The composting process needs dry matter when the biowaste is wet.”

Rejection does not result in harsh sanctions but only guidance on how to remedy the situation.

According to Minkkinen, this has usually been enough, and the composter has been in good condition during the re-inspection. However, if the potential problem cannot be solved by instructions, the matter may be referred to the environmental authority.

Compost inspections This is due to the reform of the Waste Act last July, which imposed stricter separate collection obligations on biowaste.

“The EU has set these recycling targets in order to increase the recycling rate,” says Saana Minkkinen.

In the future, it will be the responsibility of the waste management authorities to keep a compost register in which all properties composting biowaste are entered. In this way, bio-waste treated by households themselves will also be included in the statistics to be reported to the EU.

However, the waste management authority in each area makes its own decisions regarding composting inspection practices.

With the reform of the law, households will also have an obligation to report their composting to waste management at the beginning of next year. In Uusimaa, the obligation will take effect at the beginning of September.

“A lot of composting notifications have already been received, even though the obligation is not yet in force,” says the corresponding waste inspector of the Uusimaa Waste Management Authority. Pamela Ek.

According to Ek, the notification does not automatically lead to a visit by the composting inspectors, but the inspections are carried out on a random basis, although two weeks’ notice is given.

Mixed According to Minkkinen, the reception received so far has been positive.

“Many are happy to be inspected and are happy to introduce their own composter,” Ek says.

Minkkinen says that in some cases the visit of compost inspectors has been questioned, but even in these situations a solution has been found quickly.

“The Waste Act allows the waste authority to go to the property in matters concerning waste management. When [kiinteistönhaltijoille] has told it, and they have understood. ”

At least in Karkkila, the first visit of compost inspectors was expected. The visit had been announced in writing well in advance.

“Come check in and keep it tidy. It’s just interesting, ”says Karkkila Marja-Liisa Nikander give a laugh.

Nikander says sorting all the waste is part of his daily life for him.

“I take cardboard, leaves and glasses for collection. It’s part of a lifestyle. ”

Also living in Karkkila Mira Ketola in turn, was initially confused after hearing about the compost inspection.

“At first I was amazed that they were actually being inspected, but then I thought it was good that they were being inspected. It’s not wild, it says, ”says Ketola.