{"id":8812,"date":"2026-02-19T16:04:54","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T14:04:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kaunoratc.lt\/naujiena\/hazardous-waste-collection-in-kaunas-region-is-growing-what-do-these-changes-reveal\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T16:59:29","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T14:59:29","slug":"hazardous-waste-collection-in-kaunas-region-is-growing-what-do-these-changes-reveal","status":"publish","type":"naujiena","link":"https:\/\/kaunoratc.lt\/en\/naujiena\/hazardous-waste-collection-in-kaunas-region-is-growing-what-do-these-changes-reveal\/","title":{"rendered":"Hazardous waste collection in Kaunas region is growing: what do these changes reveal?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The data of Kaunas Regional Waste Management Centre (hereinafter – Kaunas RWMC) reveals an encouraging trend – in 2025, the largest ever amount of hazardous waste will be collected in bulky waste sites.<\/span> This change can be attributed not only to the increased public awareness of the risks of hazardous waste, but also to the consistent education and<\/span> <\/span> clearer guidelines<\/span> for the public<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span>how to identify and manage the hazardous waste they generate in their homes. <\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Growing hazardous waste streams are an indicator, not a problem <\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

Rising collection rates do not automatically mean more hazardous waste is being generated in households. On the contrary, it shows that they are increasingly being separated and kept out of general waste containers. Improperly discarded batteries, aerosols, e-cigarettes, paint residues or other household chemicals are becoming a risk factor in the waste management chain, with irreversible consequences for the environment and fires in waste management facilities. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

According to the data of Kaunas RATC, 1 965 tonnes of hazardous waste will be collected in Kaunas region in 2025. Compared to 2023 <\/span> <\/span>them <\/span>increased by almost a third.<\/span><\/b><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

As in many regions of Lithuania, in Kaunas region household hazardous waste is collected from residents at collection sites <\/span>are accepted free of charge<\/span><\/b>, subject to <\/span>the quantity accepted<\/span> limit per inhabitant per year.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Laurynas
Laurynas Virbickas – Director of Kaunas RATC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“The limit is set to be sufficient for a typical household. It allows residents to transfer hazardous waste free of charge while protecting the system from commercial flows and ensuring its financial sustainability. However, enabling conditions are only part of the solution – awareness and education – the ability to recognise hazardous waste and know how to sort it – remains equally important.” – notes Laurynas Virbickas, Director of Kaunas RATC.<\/span><\/p>\n

Awareness is growing – even the smallest amounts reach the sites <\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

It is not only the statistics that show the change, but also the day-to-day experience of workers at the collection sites.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Operators of waste collection sites in Kaunas region notice that the awareness of the population is growing along with the increasing waste streams. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

“We are seeing more and more people bringing even very small amounts – one litre of lubricant, a few empty oil cans, a few batteries or an old thermometer. Even if the quantity is minimal, people wait in line, don’t get annoyed and are happy that there is a place where they can take their waste.” – says Indr\u0117, the operator of the bulky waste site. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Waste that has been stored for many years often arrives, she says. Residents find it in their basements, storerooms and garages – especially when they buy a new home or when they are cleaning out their parents’ and grandparents’ homes. “Sometimes people joke that they have received an ‘inheritance’ – old paints, varnishes, thinners or greases – and are now looking for a safe place to put it all.” – adds a Kaunas RATC worker. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n