230 new cigarette bins for Hämeenlinna – aiming for a butt-free hometown
Hämeenlinna has added approximately 230 new cigarette bins across the city during 2025 and 2026. The goal is to reduce litter caused by cigarette butts and nicotine pouches and to improve environmental cleanliness, especially in green areas, at bus stops, and near benches.
Cigarette waste is a significant environmental problem. Cigarette filters and the plastic pouches of nicotine products do not decompose in nature. They are carried by rainwater into water bodies as microplastics and harmful substances. In Green Area Maintenance, butts and nicotine pouches are among the most common types of waste to be cleaned up.
Cigarette butts belong in the designated butt tubes. Nicotine pouches can be placed in regular bins. If a bin is not immediately nearby, used products should be carried, for example in a small container, until they can be disposed of correctly.
The best way to reduce tobacco and nicotine waste is to reduce or stop using the products. Help for quitting is available, for example, through the Terveyskylä self-care program, the Stumppi counseling helpline (0800 148484), and the Organization for Respiratory Health’s quitting groups. If necessary, support is also available from your local health center.
Hämeenlinna invites all residents to join in building a cleaner and more pleasant hometown. When butts and nicotine pouches end up in the designated bins, streets, parks, and walking routes stay cleaner. Together, we can make Hämeenlinna an even more pleasant and safer hometown for all of us.