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Littering

All appendices are in Finnish.

Littering is prohibited in all areas.

Littering is the dumping of any kind of waste, machinery, equipment, vehicles or other objects and the discharge of substances into the environment in such a way that it may cause a nuisance, disfigurement, loss of amenity or risk of injury to humans or animals.

The Waste Act prohibits littering, and littering is also prevented, for example, by a provision requiring residential properties to join a municipal waste management system. Anyone can report illegal dumping in a wooded area, unoccupied plot or backyard to the police. Littering can also be reported to the municipal environmental protection authority.

Under the Waste Act, the litterer is obliged to clean up the area. The landowner may become liable if the litterer cannot be found. The organiser of a public event is also considered a litterer if the environment is littered as a result of the event. Pet droppings can also cause littering, so they must be cleaned up in the areas specified in the Public Order Act.