Collection, transport and brokerage of waste within Finland

A waster carrier from outside of Finland is entitled to register as a waste carrier in Finland. An operator from a country in the European Economic Area presents the registration made in their home country to a Finnish authority who enters the company into the Finnish waste management register on the basis of the principles of mutual recognition.

In the transport of certain wastes, the law requires the use of a transfer document and the submission of the information in the transfer document to the SIIRTO register: Transfer document – report the information to the SIIRTO register.

Countries of the European Economic Area, mutual recognition

A notification of the entry in the register and an extract from the register are sent to the operator. A copy of the extract from the register must be carried when transporting waste, and it must be presented when required to the customs authorities, the police or the authority supervising the transport of waste.

The entry concerning mutual recognition is made for a fixed period if the registration in the other European Economic Area country has been made for a fixed period.

The information provided is verified every three years. The authority will send a request for verification to the operator. If the operations are changed earlier, the operator must notify the Southeast Finland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of the changes without delay.

1. To whom you submit your application

   The application and the required attachments are sent to the Southeast Finland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment at kirjaamo.kaakkois-suomi@ely-keskus.fi.

2. Submit your application electronically
    

• Application to enter professional waste transport in the waste management register Mutual recognition eueea countries (pdf)
• Application to enter professional waste transport in the waste management register Mutual recognition 29.3. eu eea countries (docx)
• Instructions. Application to enter professional waste transport in the waste management register, mutual recognition (EU EEA countries)

Other countries

Waste carriers from outside the European Economic Area apply for registration in Finland once certain conditions have been met.

The operator is sent a decision on registration and an extract from the register. A copy of the extract from the register must be carried when transporting waste, and it must be presented when required to the customs authorities, the police or the authority supervising the transport of waste.

The decision on registration is valid until further notice or for a fixed period.

The information provided is verified every three years. The authority will send a request for verification to the operator. If the operations are changed earlier, the operator must notify the Southeast Finland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of the changes without delay.

The application and the required attachments are sent to the Southeast Finland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment at kirjaamo.kaakkois-suomi@ely-keskus.fi.

1. To whom you submit your application

   The application and the required attachments are sent to the Southeast Finland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment at kirjaamo.kaakkois-suomi@ely-keskus.fi.

2. The application and instructions
    

• Application to enter professional waste transport in the waste management register Other countries
• Application to enter professional waste transport in the waste management register Other countries
• Instructions to application to enter an activity in the waste management register Countries other than Finland

Waste brokers in Finland

A waste broker buys or sells waste professionally or acts as an intermediary for waste or waste management services on behalf of others. Waste brokers also include brokers who do not physically take possession of the waste.

A waste broker’s domicile must be in a country belonging to the European Economic Area.

Foreign waste brokers operating in Finland must apply for registration in Finland. The broker is given a decision on registration if the applicant fulfils the required conditions.

The operator is sent a decision on registration and an extract from the register. If required, the extract from the register must be presented to the supervisory authority.

The decision on registration is valid until further notice or for a fixed period.

The information provided is verified every three years. The authority will send a request for verification to the operator. If the operations are changed earlier, the operator must notify the Southeast Finland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of the changes without delay.

The application and the required attachments are sent to the Southeast Finland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment at kirjaamo.kaakkois-suomi@ely-keskus.fi.

The application and instructions

• Application to enter waste broker in the waste management register Other countries (docx)
• Application to enter waste broker in the waste management register Other countries (pdf)
• Instructions to applications to enter an activity in the waste management register Countries other than Finland (pdf)

International shipments of waste

A waste broker must be aware of the notifications and permits required for international shipments of waste. The Finnish Environment Institute is the competent authority for the notifications and permits for international shipments of waste.

• Transfrontier shipments of waste

Legislation

• Jätelaki 646/2011 (Finlex)
• Jäteasetus 978/2021 (Finlex)