Total waste generation

Finland generates a lot of waste. The mining industry produces the largest amount of waste, classified as rock and soil material waste. As mining expands, particularly if lower-quality deposits are utilised, waste generation increases significantly. Additionally, Finland generates more municipal solid waste than the EU average, with approximately 3.3 Mt produced annually. This includes household waste and similar waste from businesses like shops, schools, offices and other services. Although recycling rates have increased, they have not kept pace with the growth in municipal solid waste observed between 2014 and 2021, which has outpaced gross domestic product growth. However, a notable decrease in total municipal waste was recorded in 2022, and national statistics show that the decrease continued in 2023. Landfilling of municipal waste is now nearly non-existent and has been replaced with incineration. While incineration generates energy, a sustainable material economy would prioritise waste recycling, meaning using it as a material. However, recycling is increasing much more slowly than the utilisation of waste for energy production.