City of Tallinn applies for Zero Waste City certification

TALLINN - The City of Tallinn has submitted an application to become a candidate city for Zero Waste certification by the Mission Zero Academy, making it the first European capital to join the certification program.

The Zero Waste Cities program is an initiative by Zero Waste Europe aimed at helping cities transition to waste-free management. Certification provides cities with a solid framework to turn ambitions into specific actions. For Tallinn, it will help refine its strategy, better engage residents, and accelerate the shift toward waste reduction and material recycling practices.

Tallinn Mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski said that cities can be drivers of change when national decisions are slow to come.

"We want natural resources and the living environment to be treated with the same respect as fellow human beings. Tallinn strives to be smart and forward-thinking, just like its residents -- to invest, not waste; to protect, not pollute. That is exactly what becoming a Zero Waste City means," he said.

Tallinn's goals include increasing the share of separately collected household waste to 66 percent by 2026 and 70 percent by 2030, raising the recycling rate to at least 65 percent by 2035, and reducing landfill waste to below 5 percent by 2026. The city also plans to phase out the incineration of unsorted waste and set a target for overall waste reduction by March 2026.

The city has already laid a strong foundation in waste management, with an active waste plan for 2022-2026 and its long-term strategy "Tallinn 2035." Tallinn was also the first European city to implement the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive, giving a clear advantage to reusable solutions at public events.

In 2023, the amount of municipal waste generated per resident in Tallinn was 362 kilograms, well below the EU average of 511 kilograms.

In October 2024, the city opened its first circular economy center, and a second is set to open by the end of 2025. The goal is to convert all of Tallinn's waste stations into circular economy hubs, offering residents opportunities for repair, reuse, and environmental education.

The Zero Waste Cities program is led by Brussels-based Zero Waste Europe in cooperation with its member organizations across the continent. Certification and mentorship are handled by its subsidiary, Mission Zero Academy, which evaluates cities using international methodology and provides both support and recognition.

The Zero Waste certification process consists of five stages -- the municipality's expression of interest, creation of an action plan, implementation, certification, and annual improvements. The final certification level depends on the city's set goals and the impact of their implementation.