Recycling
In Vilnius the company in charge of coordinating waste management is called “VASA” https://vasa.lt/uzklausa. ECOSERVICE and EKONOVUS are the two companies that work in Vilnius to collect the waste, they operate in different parts of the city.
Waste Collection trucks pick up different containers on different days and times. To find the exact schedule and collection time of your neighbourhood you need to check at https://vasa.lt/atlieku-surinkimo-ir-aptarnavimo-zonos to see which company is operating in your area and find all the details in their website.
Currently, Vilnius provide recycling Containers for the following materials:
–Glass, Sorted in GREEN containers: Glass bottles, jars; other glass packaging without lids; glass containers, other glass products and fragments of these products.
–Paper and Cardboard, Sorted in BLUE containers: Magazines, newspapers, books, pamphlets, envelopes, flyers, writing paper, paper bags, other paper and cardboard products.
-Plastic and Metal, Sorted in YELLOW containers: Plastic bottles, jars, boxes, metal caps; polyethylene bags and film; aluminium plates and baking tins; other plastic and metal products and packaging
-Mixed waste, Sorted in BLACK containers : personal hygiene items , packaging contaminated with food residues, diapers, toilet paper, napkins, orange food bags and other waste left after primary waste sorting.
It is forbidden to throw sorted waste into the mixed waste containers: packaging, bulky waste, textiles, hazardous and mercury-containing waste, medicines, small electronic waste and green waste.
-Clothes: sorted free of charge in Special containers ,marked with information signs. It’s important that textiles are not contaminated by dangerous substances like paints, oils, ecc… Textile product will then be checked and resold or recycled based on their condition
Location of Collection Points for all those containers can be seen using this map https://maps.vilnius.lt/miesto-tvarkymas and using correct filters. Throwing waste in public places is considered a violation with a fine of up to 600 euros for waste left near containers.
Deposit system
Since 2016 a Deposit Refund scheme has been working in Lithuania.
Metallic cans and Bottles, both made of PET and glass, are marked with a special “D” symbol. When a beverage product is purchased, a 10-cents deposit fee is applied.If the empty packaging is brought to the appropriate recycling machines called “Reverse Vending Machines” (installed in multiple supermarkets) a receipt equivalent to 10 cents, for every recycled pieces, will be produced; this receipt can be used as a discount to buy product in the shop or to collect a money refunds at the cash desk.
This system is extremely efficient, with positive feedback and 600 millions units of packaging recycled every year, which corresponds to 90% of total. Packaging collected this way is sent directly to appropriate recycling centres, allowing more simple transport and sorting.
For the deposit to be refunded is important to follow certain guidelines:
–Packagings must have their original shape. Do not fold or crush them! Keeping the original cap will help in keeping the original shape and contribute to a cleaner environment.
-Label must be Undamaged: If the label is damaged, especially on the “D” symbol, the reverse vending machine may not be able to recognise the packaging and not refund the deposit..
-Barcode needs to be Clearly visible: If the barcode is unreadable, the reverse vending machine may not be able to recognise the packaging and not pay back the deposit funds.
–Clean and empty while not a strict rule, it’s good civic sense to empty and wash the beverage packaging, to reduce unpleasant smells while transporting them. It will also make the recycling process easier and more efficient.
Locations of Reverse Vending Machine can be found at https://grazintiverta.lt/en/where-to-return/72
Other Waste management
Bulky, Construction, Hazardous (including medicines) and Electronics waste should not disposed of in any regular recycling containers in the city and must be delivered only at the appropriate Waste management sites or disposed using the “Individual Waste Collection Service”
Individual Waste Collection Service
Once a year, Residents can ask for a free of charge service to have up to 8 items, not exceeding 200 kg, collected in front of their house; this include Bulky waste, Household hazardous waste, electronics or large quantities of normally recyclable wastes.
If the free service has already been utilised, a new paid request can still be made at any time or residents can deliver various waste at the Waste management sites.
More detailed informations about this service can be found at https://vasa.lt/individuali-atlieku-paemimo-paslauga
Medications
Never dispose of them in mixed waste or in any other recycling container. Pharmacies will accept all unusable medications free of charge; food supplements are not accepted and can be discarded in mixed waste. Medication can also be disposed of in appropriate containers at the Waste Management Sites.
Waste Management Sites
Collection Sites offer a free collection of almost every type of domestic waste, up to a per capita annual weight limit . Residents who wish to use Sites, need to provide a valid ID document for waste from personal entities; if the waste is from a legal entity, the site operators need to be informed about the details and a fee must be paid. Similarly, only personal vehicles with a load mass that does not exceed 3.5 tons are allowed.
All details about accepted waste and quantity limit can be found at https://www.vaatc.lt/aiksteles/ and locations of Sites at https://atliekukultura.lt/atlieku-kulturos-zemelapis/?region=vilnius&ak_cat=all
When delivering Waste to the Sites some rules apply:
-All Furniture must be dismantled.
-All waste must be sorted in the designated containers.
-All Hazardous and liquid waste needs to be sealed and in lower quantities than 10 litres.
-All Daylight lamps must be securely packed
-The vehicle must be unloaded by the waste holder themselves.
Green Waste
Vilnius Residents are allowed to compost green waste in their land plot, using an appropriate Composting box, installed at a minimum of 2 metres from adjacent plots.
For those who do not have the opportunity to compost green waste themself, “Juknevičius Kompostas” is a specific Green Waste management site, located at Liepkalnio g. 172, Vilnius. The Service is free of charge once a week, for citizens with moderate quantities, a small fee can apply to bigger quantities. Detailed Information can be found at https://kompostas.lt/lt/content/10-zaliuju-atlieku-priemimas
Stotele De’Kui”
Most waste management sites also participate in the “Stotele De’Kui” Program; which aims to create a circular reuse system. Items no longer needed but still usable can be brought at Collection Sites during working hours and be designated for “Stotele De’Kui”. They will then be checked, sorted and listed on a website; where people can reserve up to 3 items. Collection can be done every Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
To see the list of available items, reserve them and have more information: https://www.stoteledekui.lt/
LANDFILL: A non-hazardous waste Landfill also exists in Vilnius regions (Vidugiriu village. 3, Vievios sen., Elektrėnai sav. ) for waste that is impossible to recycle and burn for energy like: soil, sand, insulation material ecc…. Delivering waste to the Landfill requires the payment of a fee. Details about prices and accepted waste can be found at https://www.vaatc.lt/savartynai/
Curiously, A free excursion to the Landfill can be booked every Thursday, to learn more about this specific waste management site. Booking can be done at https://www.vaatc.lt/rezervacija/index.php?calendar_id=28
Electronic waste and batteries
Multiple options are available for disposal of Electronic waste and Batteries.
Free Removal
On websites of some Companies, like EPA and EMP,it’s possible to book a free Removal of both small and large electronics (refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, small IT or home appliances, etc.) that will then be recycled. Registration for this service can be done at https://emp.lt/registracijos-forma/ or https://www.epa.lt/
Public Collection Box
Multiple places of interest around the town (shopping mall, libraries, offices, ecc…) have small and medium sized containers for lamps, batteries and small to medium electronics; some shopping malls can even collect Large electric accumulators.
Using these service is free and a list of those collection point can be see at https://www.epa.lt/surinkimo-vietu-sarasas/
Gaining Value from old electronics
Recycling old electronics can even be valuable for your finances.
Almost all the major electronic brand sellers, like Topos, offers a discount for new electronic device in exchange for a old to recycle https://www.topocentras.lt/irenginio-keitimas ; the same apply to phone companies that offers a discount to buy a new phone if you bring them a old phone one.
Lastly, In VIlnius there is even a shop https://manrupirytojus.lt/atlieku-supirktuves/ where you can bring your old electronics and get some money out of it.
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