Biowaste

Biowaste is organic decomposing waste:

• leftovers
• spoiled food
• fruit and vegetable peelings
• animal innards and other waste
• solid fats
• liquid fats and cooking oil (absorbed in paper or in a sealed milk carton)
• coffee grinds and tea leaves
• filter paper
• kitchen towels, napkins, paper tissues
• bones
• plant parts, withered flowers, cut flowers
• egg packagings etc.

Why must biowaste be sorted?

When biowaste is sorted separately, it can be reused as raw material for compost soil and eco-friendly vehicle fuel in Stormossen’s biowaste plant. Biowaste does more harm than good amongst combustible waste because wet waste reduces the energy value at Westenergy’s incineration plant.

Where is biowaste collected?

During 2023, most households in Stormossen’s operating area in Vaasa, Korsholm, Vörå, Isokyrö, Malax, and Korsnäs begin sorting biowaste. If you live in a detached house, you can choose between your own biowaste container or a closed, isolated, and year-round compost. If you already use a compost, fill out a composting notification form at Vaasa Region’s Waste Committee’s website (external link in Finnish).

If you live in a high-rise or row house with at least five homes, you already sort biowaste. Biowaste collection may become relevant for holiday homes in 2025 the earliest.

Which bag can I use?

We recommend using paper bags for biowaste. Stormossen’s own paper bags  can be obtained free of charge from all our waste reception stations, Vaasa Citizen Services (new address Teräksenkuja 1), Vaasa City library, Vähäkyrö Citizen Services, Ekosoppi (new address Hovioikeudenpuistikko 20), the Red Cross flea market, Minimossen, and Mikromossen.

Other bag options:

• paper bag of folded newspapers
• empty flour bag, potato bag or other paper bag found at home
• envelopes without windows

We recommend paper bags because they decompose better than so-called bioplastic bags in the biowaste treatment process. Do not use regular plastic bags.

Tips for easy biowaste sorting:

• Let juices and other liquids (not oil) run into the drain. If possible, allow wet waste to dry for a while before putting it in the biowaste bag.
• You can place egg carton, kitchen towels, or newspapers at the bottom of the biowaste bag to soak up excess moisture.
• Change the bag after 2–3 days.

What happens to biowaste?

Biowaste is processed at Stormossen’s biogas plant to produce biogas and compost soil. Biogas is sold at our refuelling stations next to the waste management centre, Stormossenintie 3, and at the ABC Service Station in Runsor. Compost soil can be purchased at Stormossen. Watch this video how biowaste becomes vehicle gas at Stormossen (external link).

You can print out stickers for biowaste containers here (PDF).

All waste types