How to Sort the Waste Properly?

Waste sorting How to Sort the Waste Properly?

Waste sorting is a simple process that requires neither a lot of time, nor any special resources.

VIDEO: Why is waste sorting important?


While sorting waste, the key is to separate from household waste the types of waste that can be recycled. “Zala josta” suggests dividing the total waste stream into the following groups:

Plastic packaging

Plastic packaging

Suitable for recycling:

PET bottles, dishes, boxes
LDPE films and bags
HDPE plastic packaging

Not suitable for recycling:

Dirty, greasy packaging
Household items
Plastic items, toys

Preparation of raw materials for processing:

Separate from food residues / rinse
Need to be flattened
Do not put in a sealed bag
VIDEO: how to sort plastic correctly?
Where to sort (atkritumi.lv)

Glass packaging

Glass packaging

Suitable for recycling:

Glass jars of all colours and sizes
Glass bottles of all colours and sizes

Not suitable for recycling:

Dirty, greasy packaging
Mirror glass, car glass, window glass
Glassware and tableware
Syringes, bulbs, ampoules

Preparation of raw materials for processing:

Separate from food residues / rinse
Metal and plastic lids should be discarded as lightweight packaging
VIDEO: how to sort glass correctly?
Where to sort (atkritumi.lv)

Paper and paperboard waste

Paper and paperboard waste

Suitable for recycling:

All kinds of paper products and packaging
All kinds of cardboard products and packaging, boxes
Books, notebooks, writing paper
Magazines and other printed materials

Not suitable for recycling:

Dirty and greasy paper / cardboard
Wet paper / cardboard
Laminated products
Stickers, photos

Preparation of raw materials for processing:

Separate from food residues / rinse
Do not put in a sealed bag
VIDEO: how to sort paper properly?
Where to sort (atkritumi.lv)

Metal waste

Metal waste

Suitable for recycling:

Tin cans
Cans of canned goods
Metal lids
Metal products

Not suitable for recycling:

Greasy packaging
Dirty packaging with food leftovers

Preparation of raw materials for processing:

Separate from food residues / rinse
Do not put in a sealed bag
Where to sort (atkritumi.lv)

Used batteries and accumulators

Used batteries and accumulators

Suitable for recycling:

Used batteries
Used accumulators
“Leaking” batteries
Where to sort (atkritumi.lv)

Used electrical equipment

Used electrical equipment

Suitable for recycling:

All types and sizes of electrical equipment
Power – operated goods

Not suitable for recycling:

Electrical enclosures without other components

Preparation of raw materials for processing:

Hand over electrical equipment intact
Where to sort (atkritumi.lv)

Car tires, car oils and oil filters

Car tires, car oils and oil filters

Suitable for recycling:

Tires of passenger cars
Used technical oils
Oil filters
Where to sort (atkritumi.lv)

Medical waste

Medical waste

Suitable for recycling:

Expired medicinal products
Residues of medicinal products
Mercury thermometers
Syringes, ampoules

Preparation of raw materials for processing:

Medicinal products must be separated from packaging that should be treated separately
Medicinal products should be placed in a sachet
Sharp objects must be placed in an impenetrable container
Mercury thermometers should be placed in an airtight transparent container
Where to sort (atkritumi.lv)

Biodegradable waste

Biodegradable waste

Suitable for recycling:

Food leftovers
Peel of fruits and vegetables
Tea and coffee grounds
Green garden waste – grass, parts of plants, leaves

Not suitable for recycling:

Packaged bio-waste
Hygienic goods, stools
Biopolymer products and other secondary raw materials

Preparation of raw materials for processing:

Separate non-biological impurities
Place in a waste sorting bin without packaging
Where to sort (atkritumi.lv)

Textile waste

Textile waste

Suitable for recycling:

Clothing
Shoes
Textiles

Not suitable for recycling:

Dirty clothes and shoes
Oily or chemically contaminated textile waste
Fabric trimmings

Preparation of raw materials for processing:

Dirt and dust must be washed off
Do not dispose of oily, wet textiles
Where to sort (atkritumi.lv)

Used bulbs

Used bulbs

Suitable for recycling:

Energy efficient (economical) light bulbs
Fluorescent lamps

Not suitable for recycling:

Incandescent bulbs
Halogen bulbs
LED bulbs

Preparation of raw materials for processing:

Should be delivered for processing unbroken
Where to sort (atkritumi.lv)

Bulky waste and construction waste

Bulky waste and construction waste

The following must be collected separately:

Unnecessary or damaged furniture and other large-size household items
Construction and repair waste, leftovers
Construction debris
Disposal of bulky waste and construction waste is a paid service
Where to sort (atkritumi.lv)

Municipal waste not suitable for recycling

Municipal waste not suitable for recycling

Anything that cannot be classified as secondary raw material or hazardous waste is municipal waste.
The municipal waste disposal fee is purposefully increased every year in order to motivate the population to reduce the amount of waste generated, and at the same time to sort and recycle the waste already generated.
Proper waste sorting is an effective way to reduce your household’s monthly expenses.
Where to sort (atkritumi.lv)