Tallinn City Government approved new waste management regulations

Tallinn City Government sent a request to the City Council to change the draft amendment of the public events procedure and the waste management regulation. The aim of the new amendment is to ban the use of disposable cutlery during public events held in Tallinn.

According to Deputy Mayor Joosep Vimm, this is an important step. “If the new regulations are put into force by the City Council, from 1 June Tallinn will be the first city in Europe where only reusable cutlery can be used during public events. This is a big step towards eliminating the use of dishes and cutlery that will become waste after a single use,” said Vimm.

As an European Green Capital, Tallinn recommends that all event coordinators to think about finding sustainable and environmentally friendly options when planning the events. From 1 June 2023, all public events in Tallinn will be allowed to serve food and drinks only in reusable containers and to use only reusable cutlery. Disposable straws and cocktail garnishes that are not made of plastic (including bio-based plastic), oxidatively degradable plastic or biodegradable plastic will be allowed.