To promote separate collection of bio-waste, the City of Tallinn will provide residents of detached houses, semi-detached houses, terraced houses and two-apartment houses with home composters and collection containers on preferential terms. Applications will be accepted from 15 September until composters and bins are available.

Separate collection of bio-waste at source must be organised everywhere in Estonia by the end of 2023 at the latest, but Tallinn plans to do this already in spring. "If bio-waste is properly collected separately, it is more efficient to manage all waste. Bio-waste itself is a necessary resource, and its separate collection also prevents other wastes from deteriorating or becoming less efficient," explained Tallinn Deputy Mayor Joosep Vimm.

Residents of a detached house, semi-detached house, terraced house or two-apartment dwelling will be able to choose between appropriate composting of bio-waste or disposing of it by a container. Residents of houses with more than two apartments can also compost, but a container is still required.

Within the framework of the project "Promotion of separate collection of bio-waste and local composting in Tallinn", the Environmental Investment Centre (EIC) provided a grant to the Tallinn Strategic Management Office for the purchase of 140-litre bio-waste collection bins (1,000 units) and 250-litre household composters (700 units), as well as for composting training. The total cost of the EIC project is nearly €250,900, of which the City of Tallinn's contribution is over €65,200. In addition, the City of Tallinn has also purchased 80-litre collection containers (4000 units).

The cost of the home composter is €318.56, of which €50 is paid by the home composter applicant. The cost of a 140-litre collection container is €23,88 and the cost of an 80-litre collection container is €22,32, which will be made available to the applicant free of charge.

Applications for the purchase of a home composter or collection container can be submitted via the e-service portal taotlen.tallinn.ee from 15 September 2022, as long as they are available. When bins and composters run out, applications will be suspended and will not be reviewed. Home owners can also get a free bio-waste collection container for the kitchen along with the composter or bin.

Eligible to apply are persons whose place of residence according to the Estonian Population Register is within Tallinn at the address where the home composter or collection container is applied for. Residents of detached houses, semi-detached houses, terraced houses and two-apartment buildings can apply for either one composter or one container. The applicant must be a member of a year-round waste collection scheme.

The applicant undertakes to use the collection equipment for its intended purpose until at least 7 September 2026 and to ensure that it is properly installed, stored and maintained. Until that date, the equipment will remain the property of the city, after which the ownership of the composters and containers will pass to the applicant and will not be reclaimed.

For more information on the parameters of the home composters and collection containers and the conditions for applying for them for home use, please visit www.tallinn.ee/et/biojaatmete-kogumisvahendid.

Separate collection of waste is regulated by the Waste Act, the Tallinn Waste Management Plan 2022-2026 and the Tallinn Waste Management Code.