Condominiums
Here you can find an overview of various types of waste that may be generated by the members of your apartment association, and all the necessary information about how to collect the waste by types and how to get rid of it properly.
Our message is that it’s useful to collect and sort waste by types, so as to reduce the load on the environment and to save money, because the volume of mixed common waste will decrease.
For more information and placing orders, please contact our customer service by telephone: 6164000 or by e-mail: info@prugi.ee.
The average volume of waste generated per resident of Tallinnis ca. 5.2 litres of mixed common waste per day; this is ca. 234 litres a month per household. Read more about waste removal frequency and recommended container sizes for an apartment association in Annex 3 of Tallinn Waste Management Regulations (a separate document at the end of the Regulations): http://www.prugi.ee/portal/eeskirjad-est/.
Waste management in the administrative territory of Tallinn is regulated by Tallinn Waste Management Regulations: http://www.prugi.ee/portal/eeskirjad-est/. Pursuant to the Regulations, an apartment association shall own or rent a sufficient amount of suitable waste containers for collecting mixed common waste and recoverable waste collected by types, or use relevant collective containers. A collective container can be used with consent of the Environmental Department of Tallinn City Government and only for collecting waste generated from adjacent immovable properties or from apartment buildings and semi-detached houses with a common courtyard area. The containers and the collection areas must comply with the Regulations and a collective container usage agreement must be entered into (http://www.prugi.ee/portal/en/uhismahuti-leping/). In areas with apartment buildings where minimum size immovable properties have been established for the buildings, waste containers can be placed outside the property’s borders only with consent of the relevant property’s owner. Waste containers can be placed on city-owned land only with the City Government’s consent and under the City Government’s conditions.
Upon buying or renting waste containers, we recommend ensuring that the container complies with the standard EVS-EN 840. You can view container sizes on our webpage “CUSTOMER SUPPORT”, section “Waste containers”: http://www.prugi.ee/portal/en/jaatmemahutid/. Containers should preferably be produced inEurope and be suitable for our climate – we commend OTTO, ESE and SULO containers as the best choices. The most suitable container format is a plastic container on wheels. Waste can also be collected into recessed containers.
Mixed common waste (trash) is common waste remaining after collecting or sorting by types. Pursuant to the Regulations, a mixed common waste container must be emptied with a frequency that avoids overfilling and odour pollution, but at least once a week. A recessed mixed common waste container must be emptied at least once every for weeks. On an immovable property with up to 12 apartments, the frequency of emptying a mixed common waste container can be once per two weeks with consent of the Environmental Department of Tallinn City Government, if the waste container’s size conforms to the actual collected waste amounts. Handover of mixed common waste takes place at the location of generating it, on the immovable property.
Paper and carton waste container must be used if there are at least 5 apartments on the property. A paper and carton waste container can be emptied as needed to avoid overfilling it, so we recommend using at least 600-litre containers. This way we can reduce environmental load, i.e. our waste trucks don’t have to drive to your address for small waste amounts.
Bio-decomposing kitchen and catering waste container must be used if there are at least 10 apartments on the property, except in an Old Town area where waste removal is organised. A bio-decomposing waste container must be emptied with a frequency that avoids overfilling, odour pollution, pests and pollution of the surroundings, but at least once every two weeks if the building has 10-19 apartments and at least once a week if the building has 20 or more apartments. The most suitable bio-waste container size is 140l or 240l. We recommend using bio-decomposing lining bags in the containers, to keep the containers themselves clean: http://www.prugi.ee/en/portal/biokoti-hinnad/. If you use ordinary clear plastic bags for collecting kitchen and catering waste, do not throw them into the container with the waste if possible. Instead, empty the plastic bag into the container and then put the plastic bag itself into common waste. Immovable properties of residential land bearing less than 10 apartments can compost their bio-decomposing wastes within the property’s borders, read more about that on our webpage “ABC OF WASTE”, section “Collecting bio-waste by types”: http://www.prugi.ee/portal/en/biojaatmeted/.
Large waste is waste that cannot be placed into a container due to its weight or volume, like furniture, carpets, mattresses, curtain rods, window frames, sinks, Christmas trees, etc.; these are placed beside the container for removal. Large waste is not considered to include construction waste, large products of concern like car wrecks, electrical or electronic equipment or waste electrical or electronic equipment (including washing machines, TV sets, refrigerators, electrical cookers) and other waste subject to producer’s liability. Large waste must be handed over at the location of generating it, on the immovable property. Large waste must be removed within 7 calendar days after they have been put beside the container. Christmas trees can be handed over at the location of generating the waste, on the immovable property, by ordering a separate Christmas tree removal service by telephone: 6164000 or by e-mail: info@prugi.ee.
Garden and greenery waste is bio-decomposing waste generated by maintaining gardens and green areas (leaves, waste plant matter, grass, moss, small branches, apples, etc.). It is forbidden to place garden and greenery waste into containers for mixed common waste or for kitchen and catering waste. Garden and greenery waste can be composted in an open heap. The composting container and heap must be located at least 3 m away from a neighbouring property and at least 4 m away from a neighbouring building, unless the owners of the neighbouring properties or buildings agree otherwise. Garden and greenery waste can be handed over at the location of generating the waste, on the immovable property, by ordering a leaves bag removal service by telephone: 6164000 or by e-mail: info@prugi.ee.
Packages and package waste should preferably be collected by types, ordering a package container service at the location of generating the waste (near the apartment building) or handing in the waste at collection points. There are also public collection points in the city – package and waste package containers where such waste can be taken. Find the nearest public collection point for waste packages on the online map of Tallinn: http://www.tallinn.ee/eng/A-Guide-to-Sorting-Waste. Read more about package waste and free-of-charge opportunities to hand in such waste on our webpage “ABC OF WASTE”, section “Collecting packages”: http://pakendite-kogumine/.
Hazardous waste must be collected by types. It is definitely prohibited to put such waste into a mixed common waste container. Read more about hazardous waste and free-of-charge opportunities to hand in such waste on our webpage “ABC OF WASTE”, section “Hazardous waste at home”: http://www.prugi.ee/portal/en/ohtlikud-jaatmed-meie-kodus/.
Waste removal for business premises in apartment buildings. There are often business premises on ground floor of apartment buildings, e.g. cafés, family physician’s offices, hair salons, flower shops, etc. The apartment association’s duty is to ensure waste removal on the immovable property. Members of an apartment association are apartment owners, and an apartment owner can also be a legal person. The apartment association must ensure collection and hand-in of waste, including waste generated in business premises, except if the apartment association’s general meeting of management board meeting has decided otherwise. It is also possible that the companies using the business premises enter into their own waste removal agreements for collecting and removing the waste from their premises. If large amounts of waste are being generated, the recommended course is that the company and the apartment association enter into separate waste removal agreements.