Pohjalaiset not lazy at bottle returns – tourism and holiday homes explain regional differences

The people of Ostrobothnia are not lazy when it comes to returning bottles and cans, despite statistics suggesting otherwise, reports Yle. The apparent regional differences in return rates are largely explained by seasonal population changes due to tourism and holiday homes.

According to data from the Finnish deposit system operator Palpa, Ostrobothnia had the lowest return rate on mainland Finland last year, with only 341 packages returned per resident. South Savo topped the list with 541, followed closely by Lapland with 533. However, Palpa’s managing director Tommi Vihavainen clarifies that these figures reflect absolute numbers, not return percentages.

“The differences between regions are mainly due to tourism and holiday cottages,” Vihavainen explains. Popular holiday destinations like South Savo see significant population increases in summer, as visitors return their bottles locally. Similarly, tourism boosts return numbers in Lapland. The statistics, however, are based on permanent resident counts, which do not account for seasonal visitors.

For residents like Kokkola’s Reima Isoaho, recycling is a routine. “We don’t leave bottles or cans lying around at home. My wife and I take them back every week while shopping. It’s made easy for us, and I hope others recycle too,” he says. Another local, Tapani Niemi, finds motivation in the deposit refund: “I just got over five euros, which I’ll use for the lottery. It’s not a huge sum, but it makes recycling a priority for me.”

The convenience of modern return machines has also increased participation. Introduced about five years ago, these machines allow bulk returns of bottles and cans, significantly boosting recycling rates. However, their high cost makes them impractical for smaller stores, Vihavainen notes.

Finland’s deposit system, managed by Palpa since 1996, ensures that all returned beverage containers are recycled into new packaging. Last year, Finns returned over 2.3 billion bottles and cans, earning more than €360 million in deposits. The return rate for plastic bottles stands at 93%, with two-thirds of consumers citing the deposit as their primary motivation.