Waste rooms in apartment buildings where fines were issued for poor sorting. This was mainly due to overflowing bins, but there were also sorting errors in the form of paper packaging. No signs are visible to guide the tenants.
Since 2023, fines for incorrect waste sorting in Skellefteå have increased from 150 kronor to 500 kronor per incident. Beginning in 2025, multi-apartment buildings will face even steeper penalties based on the number of residents.
In addition to the base fee of 500 kronor, there will be an additional charge of 500 kronor per apartment, up to a maximum of 5,000 kronor per emptying. This could quickly add up, especially considering the frequent waste collection in apartment buildings and condominiums.
Ultimately, these increased costs will likely be passed on to residents through higher housing fees or association dues, affecting everyone, regardless of their individual sorting habits.
This means that everyone, even those who follow the rules, will be affected.
The Mittnord landlord association wasted no time responding to the news regarding proposed fines for improper waste sorting. Spokesperson Jens Pihlblad expressed concerns about the plan's fairness.
– Educating residents on proper waste management is the municipality's responsibility, Pihlblad said.
– Fining landlords is unreasonable when individual residents are responsible for disposing of waste correctly.
Mittnord urges the council to reconsider the proposal. Instead, they advocate for collaboration with property owners to develop sustainable solutions for the waste problem.
Jens Pihlblad says that landlords have reacted strongly to the new regulations. He urges the community planning committee to reconsider.
Skebo shares concerns about the proposed fines, though they have not expressed any criticism.
– Unfortunately, we have major issues with incorrect sorting, says Lisa Nilsson, sustainability coordinator at Skebo.
– Additionally, we have problems with tenants leaving bulky waste in our areas.
Nilsson says that Skebo is working on introducing property-level collection of packaging. Larger spaces are being arranged, and signage is being improved. They have started with areas where the sorting opportunities were the poorest.
– We don’t know how the new fines will impact us, but it’s likely that we will face fines in many of our properties, she says.
Agneta Lantto-Forsgren, waste manager for Skellefteå municipality, emphasizes that her department is funded by fees. All costs must be covered by those who use the services, and nothing is funded through taxes.
Agneta Lantto Forsgren, the municipality's waste manager, responds to criticism from landlords:
– Both landlords and the municipality share responsibility for ensuring proper waste sorting, Forsgren emphasizes.
– We've held numerous meetings with property owners to provide information and resources, including multilingual signage and visual aids for waste rooms.
Forsgren acknowledges that incorrect sorting has become more prevalent in recent years, partly due to an influx of residents from countries with different waste management practices.
– However, while newcomers play a role, incorrect sorting has been an ongoing issue for many years, she says.
To address the lack of impact on apartment buildings, the municipality is proposing a new fee structure. The extended fees will be finalized by the municipal council.
Waste rooms lacking signage. This causes landlords problems with people dumping bulky waste, as is the case with the sled, scooter, and lamp.
So, what's the problem with waste sorting?
–The primary issue is that packaging materials aren't separated, Forsgren explains.
– They're often thrown into regular garbage bags, leading to higher costs for the municipality.
Incinerating waste at Dåvamyran in Umeå is becoming increasingly expensive due to treatment fees and emissions allowances. Proper sorting of packaging and newspapers into designated bins avoids these costs and enables recycling.
– The packaging and newspaper industries cover the costs of recycling, eliminating any burden on the municipality, Forsgren says.
Another common mistake is food waste in regular trash. Starting in 2024, incinerating food waste will be prohibited. This material should be used to produce biogas at Skellefteå's biogas plant.
Skebo also mentioned the issue of bulky waste being left in waste rooms. This should be taken to the nearest recycling center, such as Degermyran.
Regarding fines for incorrect sorting, Forsgren states that the municipality has issued around 565 fines since last winter.
– We only charge fees in the most egregious cases, she says.
– We're waiting for a report from Avfall Sverige to standardize the rules nationwide before implementing widespread fines.