Although a month ago it might have seemed that Tallinn would replace the dismantled postal trash bins with another type of solution and lean more toward sorting waste, it is now possible that the new trash bins could be attached to posts in a similar manner. However, there will likely be fewer of them, without advertisements, and they are expected to be smaller than the current bulky bins, Tallinn Deputy Mayor Pärtel-Peeter Pere (Reform) told ERR.

The exact nature of the new trash bins will be determined by the tenders. If participants in the tender process propose post-mounted bins, they may continue to be a feature of Tallinn's cityscape. The first tenders will purchase standard single-opening trash bins, but when Tallinn announces a larger framework tender that includes not only new trash bins but also broader urban furniture, they aim to acquire both single-opening bins and those with three openings for waste sorting, Pere said.

"The framework tender for urban furniture is currently being prepared. Based on this, the installation of trash bins will likely begin next year. However, district governments are ready to quickly organize procurement processes to install trash bins where needed," the deputy mayor added.

In the meantime, trash bins will not disappear from the urban environment.

"The Environmental and Public Utilities Department manages 3,650 trash bins in public spaces across the city. Additionally, district governments have their own bins. For example, the Lasnamäe District Government maintains 415 trash bins and 57 dog waste bins. In the City Center district, there are 412 trash bins managed by district government partners, in addition to those managed by the Environmental and Public Utilities Department," said Pere.

New trash bins may cost over half a million euros

The outdoor advertising company Prisma NET, which had managed over 2,000 postal trash bins in Tallinn, is currently in the process of dismantling them. The company has informed the city that the bins will be removed by the end of August at the latest.

Prisma NET sought to renegotiate its contracts with the city districts, as the existing terms were no longer financially viable for the company. They were paying around €60,000 annually to the city in rent across various contracts. When Tallinn refused to renegotiate, Prisma NET offered to sell all the trash bins to the city for €200,000, which the city also declined. This would have set the price at approximately €150 per bin.

The exact cost of the new trash bins for Tallinn is difficult to estimate, as they will be procured through a framework agreement, said Deputy Mayor Pere.

"The ordering of trash bins under this framework will depend on specific needs, even if we have set a maximum limit. The final number of bins covered by the framework agreement will depend on how we finalize the 2025 budget. My proposal for the budget discussions is to allocate approximately €650,000 for the purchase of new trash bins, with an equivalent increase in the annual cost for their maintenance," Pere explained.

It is clear that the new trash bins will not feature advertisements.

"Postal trash bins were not always placed where they were genuinely needed for waste collection, but rather in locations that were suitable for advertising displays," Pere noted.

The new coalition government also intends to remove advertisements from trams, trolleys and buses, as stated in the coalition agreement. According to Pere, advertisements will no longer be placed on public transport windows to avoid obstructing passengers' views.

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