The final report on the SUP composition studies has been completed. The studies were carried out by FCG Finnish Consulting Group Ltd during 2024 and 2025, using the methodology developed in 2021.
The project was coordinated by Finnish Packaging Recycling RINKI Ltd on behalf of the producer responsibility organisations (Sumi Oy, Suomen Pakkaustuottajat Oy, Suomen SUP-tuottajayhteisö Oy and Suomen Palautuspakkaus Oy), as well as Lidl Suomi Ky.
As part of the implementation of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (EU) 2019/904 (the SUP Directive), producers of certain plastic products are obliged to participate obliged to participate in in the regular collection, clean-up and waste management costs of waste generated in certain public areas. In order to allocate cost responsibility between producers of SUP products and municipalities, producers must, in accordance with the Waste Act (646/2011), investigate the composition of waste collected from litter bins and ground in these areas at least every three years.
The results are submitted for use by the Ministry of the Environment as a basis for updating the Government Decree VNA 1320/2022. The Decree regulates the compensation paid by producers of certain plastic products to municipalities for the prevention and clean-up of waste caused by those products.
In the study results, waste emptied from litter bins is reported as volume shares, while waste collected from the ground is reported as item count shares. In sixteen composition studies, the share of waste fractions subject to SUP producer responsibility averaged 47% of the volume of waste collected from litter bins (46% in 2022). In fifteen composition studies of waste collected from the ground, the corresponding share was 36% of the number of items (34% in 2022).
At the request of the Ministry of the Environment, nicotine pouches were included in the amount of SUP products in this study, in accordance with the draft decree. In this study, the share of the “uncertain” fraction was on average significantly higher than in the previous study, especially in waste collected from the ground, amounting to 8.2% of the number of items (0.08% in 2022).
Compared to the previous study, the share of rigid food containers belonging to single-use plastic products increased clearly, accounting for 15% of waste collected from litter bins (10% in 2022) and 3.4% of waste collected from the ground (2.35% in 2022). Correspondingly, the share of flexible portion packages and wrappers decreased significantly, accounting for 5.5% of waste collected from litter bins (11.3% in 2022) and 7.7% of waste collected from the ground (12.6% in 2022).
In waste collected from litter bins, the share of both deposit and non-deposit beverage containers increased compared to the previous study. In waste collected from the ground, the share of tobacco products and filters belonging to single-use plastic products also increased significantly, reaching 17.7% (11% in 2022).