Can you burn trash in a campfire?
No, you cannot. Only dry, clean firewood may be burned in a campfire. A small amount of clean paper or cardboard can be used as kindling, but burning any other waste — including larger amounts of cardboard or paper — is prohibited, as it increases emissions and harms the environment.
What should I do with my dog’s waste?
Move it aside or take it with you. In most places, it is sufficient for your dog to relieve itself away from trails and common rest areas, or for you to move the droppings aside. Dog waste left on paths can pose a health risk to people when it is carried into camps on shoe soles. For grazing animals, droppings left in pastures are also a health hazard. Only in some busy locations must the waste be fully collected. Waste collected in bags must not be disposed of in toilets — not even in biodegradable bags. During the waste‑processing stage, workers may be exposed to various pathogens. Pet waste belongs in mixed waste.
Why are there no trash bins in the area?
Emptying trash bins requires significant resources, and transportation generates emissions. Long intervals between emptying can cause unpleasant odors and attract wildlife. For these reasons, every visitor is expected to carry their own waste out of the area.
Can you wash your hands, do dishes, or bathe at a well or by the shoreline using biodegradable soap?
No, you cannot. Wastewater must not be released into bodies of water or wells. Even biodegradable soaps burden aquatic ecosystems, and microbes can contaminate well water. Choose a washing spot some distance away from the shore or the well, and let the wash water absorb into the ground.
Questions about toilets
Is there toilet paper in the toilets?
No. Visitors must bring their own toilet paper, even though you may occasionally find some left by previous users.
Why are composting toilets being replaced with toilets emptied with suction?
Composting toilets require a lot of maintenance, and their containers fill up quickly. Transporting waste generates emissions. It can also be difficult to find local ways to process the waste, and handling it manually poses health risks. Toilets emptied with suction can be serviced efficiently, and the intervals between emptying are longer when the site is accessible by a vacuum truck.
Can I put diapers or sanitary pads in a toilet emptied with suction?
No. Such items clog the vacuum truck and the pipes at the waste‑processing facility. Regardless of the toilet type, only appropriate waste belongs in the toilet.
How do I know whether a toilet is composting or emptied with suction?
Instructions are posted on the toilet wall, and the type of toilet is listed on the luontoon.fi website. Composting toilets usually also have a container of bulking material.
Do I need to pack out coffee grounds as well?
Yes, unless the site has a composting toilet. Coffee grounds follow the same rules as all other biodegradable waste. Nothing extra may be placed in vacuum‑emptied toilets.
What should be done with ash from a fireplace?
Empty the ash pan only if it is absolutely necessary and the ash has fully cooled. Cooled ash can be emptied into the designated outdoor collection point. Never leave an ash bucket or ash indoors or anywhere other than the place intended for it. Report a full ash container to Metsähallitus’ Parks & Wildlife Service via the contact form on the luontoon.fi website.
What should I do if I find litter in the terrain?
If there is only a small amount of litter and you have a trash bag with you, you’ll be doing a favor to nature and to other visitors by packing the waste out. If you come across an abandoned campsite or a heavily littered area, take photos of the site and report your observation to Metsähallitus’ Parks & Wildlife Service using the contact form on the luontoon.fi website.
Did you know this about some of the most common types of litter in nature?
Cigarette butts are the most common form of litter in the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that 4.5 trillion cigarette butts end up in the environment every year — the equivalent of filling 30 cargo ships. Cigarette butts never truly decompose; they only break down into microplastics, meaning they are essentially permanent. Nicotine pouches and cigarette butts can be fatally toxic to animals due to both nicotine and the heavy metals they contain. They may also block an animal’s digestive system. Using a pocket ashtray is an easy way to reduce littering.
Chewing gum decomposes extremely slowly — sometimes over decades — or not at all. It is used frequently, and often it slips unnoticed from someone’s mouth onto the ground or into waterways. Even though you chew it like food, it is not biodegradable. The correct place for chewing gum is in mixed waste.
Various plastics are among the most common types of litter both on land and in water. Every year, huge numbers of birds, mammals, fish, and reptiles suffocate, starve, or are otherwise harmed because of plastic waste. Plastic can be recycled, but it does not disappear. A juice straw, drink bottle, chip bag, or fishing line does not belong in nature.