An environmentally friendly small island
In the municipality of Vormsi, waste management is organized as a year-round uniform system of waste houses located in the villages and a waste station in Hullo, which is regulated by the waste management rules established by the council. Waste management as a whole includes organized waste transport as well as services provided by the Vormsi Municipal Government through the use of the waste station and the Rumpo landfill. The territory of the municipality forms one of the organized waste transportation areas, where joining the organized waste transportation is mandatory for all waste holders. Waste transportation is organized through waste houses located in villages in Vormsi municipality.
Collecting separately is mandatory for everyone, both at home, in educational institutions and at the workplace. Recycling unseparated waste is complex and therefore significantly more expensive. The main purpose of sorting and separate collection is to return as much waste and garbage to circulation as possible; for example, reuse the same glass bottle or produce a new plastic bottle from plastic packaging. Aluminum beverage cans can be used practically unlimited times to be recycled again – the need for ore mining is reduced. The lion’s share of garbage that needs to be sorted can be divided into three groups.
1. Packages, which are divided in turn:
a) plastic, metal, beverage carton,
b) intact glass packaging,
c) cardboard.
The packaging is both a pastry bag, a box of porridge flakes and a packet of coffee cream. The package does not need to be washed, but it must be clean enough that it does not stain other waste.
2. Bio-waste – food scraps, potato peels and garden weeding waste and tree leaves. Bio-waste must be composted and must not be placed among other waste, because it spoils all other waste groups.
3. Mixed household waste – this group should be the smallest in terms of volume, because it only fits that which cannot be classified anywhere else. For example, broken dishes, old pens, large bones that do not decompose, diapers, packaging, which cannot be cleaned.
It is important to know that medicines must not be thrown into the general household waste. Unused or expired medicines are classified as hazardous waste. They must be taken to a hazardous waste collection point. Pharmacies also accept unused medicines. Medicines should definitely not be flushed down the toilet, as this causes water pollution and can kill aquatic organisms. Finally, substances in medicines can end up in our drinking water.
Apart from the three main groups above, there are other wastes that can be sorted separately, but which are not generated on a daily basis. They can be taken to a waste station.
• Hazardous waste: paints, varnishes, oils, previously mentioned medicines, plant protection products, etc. Collection containers for batteries and daylight lamps are also available in public places,
mostly in stores.
• Large waste: furniture and mattresses.
• Construction waste: Styrofoam, processed wood, sheet glass, etc.
• Electronic waste: refrigerators, microwave ovens, computers, air conditioners, etc.
Bio-waste: food waste and garden waste
• Food waste is waste generated during meal preparation, for example potato and egg shells, tea and coffee grounds, as well as leftover or spoiled food, including small bones.
• Garden and landscaping waste is, for example, mowed grass, tree leaves, uprooted weeds, cut flowers, and hedge trimming residues.
Other biodegradable waste such as napkins, household paper, dirty cardboard and paper without tape can be collected together with bio-waste.
It is important to remember that bio-waste is not taken to the forest. Such a course of action promotes the spread of pests and alien species and can change the balance between the animal and plant species that have developed in that place.
The non-native species – the Spanish tea snail and the black-headed slug – survive the winter under the forest and multiply uncontrollably to return to the home garden with a bountiful meal.
Composting in your home garden can help you keep a better eye on pests and keep their spread under control. In addition, invasive plant species brought there with seeds and root parts can spread undisturbed under the forest, such as Buckwheat, bloody lemmalts, Canadian goldenrod, or annual fast-growing species such as common chard and red rabbit cabbage. The first of them has already become wild in the western part of Estonia and on the islands. It is also worth thinking about the fact that by removing plant waste from the home garden, you take away nutrients, or future fertilizer, which can be returned to your ornamental plants or vegetables by turning it into compost. Read more about composting: HERE
