What Puhas does

Puhas Oy is a municipally-owned waste management and circular economy company headquartered in Joensuu, Finland. Founded in 1996, it serves approximately 113,000 residents across five municipalities in North Karelia (Joensuu, Ilomantsi, Kontiolahti, Liperi, and Polvijärvi) as the statutory provider of organized waste transport in the region under the Joensuu Regional Waste Management Authority.

The company operates an integrated waste management platform built around six self-service waste sorting centers and contracted collection routes, processing 40,000-50,000 tonnes of waste annually. Core services include collection of combustible waste, biowaste, and packaging waste; mobile hazardous waste collection; a Kontiosuo waste center with environmental permits dating to 2007; and as of January 2026, residential sludge tank emptying services across the full operating area. Downstream processing is handled through partnerships with Riikinvoima (waste-to-energy), Biokymppi (biogas), Savon Voima (landfill gas utilization), and Fortum Waste Solutions (hazardous waste). The technology stack centers on the electronic services portal asiointipuhas.fi for self-service, supplemented by SMS notifications and conventional customer service channels. ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications were obtained in late summer 2025.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining recurring household basic fees (subscription, ~27.64-30.04 EUR/year by municipality), usage-based per-container emptying fees, unit-priced sorting center charges (153.32 EUR/tonne for sortable waste), business customer fees, and the newly added sludge emptying services. Basic fee revenue alone reached 1,507,918.93 EUR in 2025. The company operates as a non-profit social enterprise with any surplus reinvested into waste management development, and there is no external equity, venture, or private capital involved. Customer segments span individual households (primary), housing companies, and businesses; the five owner-municipalities are both owners and statutory clients.

Name

Puhas

Legal name

Puhas Oy

Website

https://puhas.fi

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Puhas Oy is a municipally-owned waste management utility serving approximately 113,000 residents across five municipalities in North Karelia, Finland, providing statutory waste collection, six self-service sorting centers, and newly added sludge emptying services on a non-profit basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Waste Management

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Hazardous Waste Collection (562112)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Hazardous Waste Management (4955)

akta.pro primary industry

Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration (BPAIACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) & Universal Waste Sorting Facilities (EUAIADAK), E-waste & Universal Waste Collection/Transfer (Electronics, Lamps, Batteries) (EUAIABAG)

Keywords

• Municipal waste management
• Household waste collection
• Waste sorting services
• Recycling and biowaste
• Hazardous waste disposal

Headquarters

HQ city

Joensuu

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Basic Fee (Perusmaksu): Annual basic fee charged to households covering ecopoint maintenance, hazardous waste collection, waste advisory services, and Waste Management Board operating costs. Fees vary by municipality and property type (permanent home vs. leisure home).
2. Waste Collection Fees: Fees per waste container emptied, including combustible waste, biowaste, and plastic packages. Pricing based on container capacity (140-660 litres). Also includes area waste collection fees for shared collection points.
3. Waste Sorting Center Fees: Charges for sortable waste loads at waste sorting centers, priced at 153.32 euros per tonne plus weighing fee of 12.51 euros. Garden waste charged at flat rate of 10.12 euros per load. Businesses charged at 152.23 euros per tonne plus weighing fee.
4. Sludge Tank Emptying Services: Four service types: regular emptying (scheduled intervals), on-demand emptying (within 7 working days), time-specific emptying (within 3 working days), and emergency emptying (within 5 hours). Prices vary by service type and contractor area.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Puhas Oy provides statutory household waste management services across five North Karelia municipalities in Finland, including curbside collection of combustible waste, biowaste, and packaging waste, access to a network of self-service waste sorting centres for bulky, hazardous, and recyclable materials, and (as of January 2026) residential sludge tank emptying services. The company also operates an electronic services portal (asiointipuhas.fi), offers waste sorting and composting advisory, and coordinates downstream processing through partner facilities for waste-to-energy, biogas, and hazardous-waste treatment.

Product overview

Puhas is a municipally-owned waste management and circular economy company serving approximately 113,000 residents in five municipalities (Joensuu, Ilomantsi, Kontiolahti, Liperi, Polvijärvi) in North Karelia, Finland. The company provides integrated waste management services including waste collection, transportation, and processing through a network of six waste sorting centres. Core offerings include combustible waste collection, biowaste collection (mandatory since July 2024), and packaging waste recycling. As of January 2026, Puhas assumed responsibility for residential sludge tank emptying across its entire service area. The company operates self-service waste sorting facilities including Kontiokaari in Joensuu, Myllynkaari in Liperi, and Uuronkaari (opening 2026) in Kontiolahti. Digital services include an online customer portal (asiointipuhas.fi) for service management. Advisory services cover waste sorting guidance, composting instructions, and environmental education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Household Waste Collection Services Curbside collection and transportation of household waste fractions (combustible waste, biowaste, packaging waste including plastic, carton, metal, glass) for residential properties in five municipalities of North Karelia, Finland. Pricing is per emptying based on container capacity (140–660 litres).
• Self-Service Waste Sorting Centres Six self-service drop-off facilities accepting bulky waste, construction waste, furniture, electrical appliances, hazardous waste, and recyclable materials. Kontiokaari (Joensuu) and Myllynkaari (Liperi) operate 6am–10pm daily; Uuronkaari (Kontiolahti) opening 2026; additional facilities in Ilomantsi, Kontiolahti, and Polvijärvi with limited hours.
• Residential Sludge Tank Emptying Service Septic tank and cesspool emptying service for residential properties across the entire Puhas operating area with four service levels: regular emptying (scheduled intervals), on-demand emptying (within 7 working days), time-specific emptying (within 3 working days), and emergency emptying (within 5 hours). Delivered through a contracted network of regional haulers.
• Area Waste Collection Points (Eko/kierto points) Locked, shared waste collection points serving primarily leisure homes, holiday apartments, and smaller residential properties. Annual fees vary by household size and property type (permanent vs. leisure home), with deposit-based access keys issued.
• Mobile Hazardous Waste Collection Rotating mobile collection service that visits Joensuu urban areas twice during summer (June and September), accepting hazardous waste and small electrical equipment from households at no charge.
• Commercial Waste Disposal at Sorting Centres Commercial waste, construction debris, and renovation waste disposal at sorting centres billed at business rates distinct from household pricing. Accepts bulky commercial items, construction and demolition debris, and other business-generated waste.
• Waste Sorting and Composting Advisory Services Advisory and educational content covering biowaste, packaging, hazardous waste, textiles, electrical equipment, pharmaceutical waste sorting, plus full composting guidance (suitable materials, troubleshooting, seasonal tips, Bokashi, dry-toilet compost).

Quantifiable outcome

• Generates biogas for electricity production and fertilizer from biowaste processed at Biokymppi facility in Kitee
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Joen LokaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2026Emergency contractor for sludge tank emptying services. Handles urgent situations where emptying must be performed within 5 hours. Contact: 040 486 0367.
• HepexminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Contract area 1 for sludge transport: serves Polvijärvi and northern Liperi.
• Verdis OyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Contract areas 2 and 4 for sludge transport: serves Liperi, parts of Joensuu, and southern Kontiolahti.
• Jokiville OyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Contract area 3 for sludge transport: serves most of Kontiolahti, parts of northern Joensuu, and western Ilomantsi.
• Metsäkiito OyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Contract area 5 for sludge transport: serves most of Ilomantsi and areas south of Ilomantsintie.
• Riikinvoiman ekovoimalaitoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCombustible waste is transported to Riikinvoima's waste-to-energy plant in Leppävirta where it is crushed, metals separated, and burned in a circulating bed boiler. The plant produces electricity for approximately 4,300 detached houses and district heating for approximately 10,000 detached houses annually.
• Biokymppi biokaasulaitoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiowaste is transported to Biokymppi's biogas plant in Kitee where it is processed anaerobically. The process produces biogas for electricity production and fertilizer.
• Savon VoimacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandfill gas collected at Kontiosuo waste center is directed to Savon Voima's power plant for utilization in combined heat and power production.
• Fortum Waste Solutions OycoreTechnology or IntegrationHazardous waste and pharmaceutical waste from the service area are delivered to Fortum Waste Solutions for proper treatment and disposal.
• JätekukkominorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint campaign partner in 'Älä jätä jälkeäsi' (Don't leave a trace) awareness campaign about keeping collection points clean. Regional waste management company.
• MetsäsairilaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint campaign partner in awareness campaign about collection point cleanliness. Regional waste management company in Mikkeli region.
• Ylä-Savon JätehuoltominorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint campaign partner in awareness campaign about collection point cleanliness. Regional waste management company in Upper Savonia.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Millespakka: Municipal waste management company serving the Hyvinkää, Järvenpää, and Mäntsälä region. Comparable regional utility operating sorting stations and statutory collection services for households.
• Botniarosk Ab: Waste management company serving the Jakobstad/Pietarsaari region on Finland's west coast. Comparable regional waste utility providing collection, sorting, and recycling services under municipal mandate.
• Ylä-Savon Jätehuolto: Municipal waste management company operating in the Upper Savonia region. Comparable regional utility with statutory waste collection; named as a joint campaign partner alongside Puhas.
• HSY (Helsinki Region Environmental Services): Municipal waste and environmental services authority for the Helsinki metropolitan area. Comparable business model — municipally owned waste management utility handling collection, sorting, recycling, and hazardous waste for residents.
• Stormossen Ab: Municipal waste management company serving the Vaasa region in Ostrobothnia. Comparable municipally-owned utility handling waste collection, sorting, and treatment for the region's residents.
• Kiertokapula: Municipal waste management company serving the Tampere region in Pirkanmaa. Comparable as a regional waste utility with statutory collection mandate, sorting stations, and household advisory services.
• Lakeuden Etappi: Municipal waste management company serving the South Ostrobothnia region. Comparable municipally-owned waste utility with collection, sorting station, and recycling services.
• Jätekukko: Finnish municipal waste management company serving the Kuopio region in North Savo. Directly comparable as a municipal-utility waste operator with collection, sorting, and advisory services; mentioned by Puhas as a joint campaign partner.
• Päijät-Hämeen Jätehuolto Oy: Municipal waste management company for the Päijät-Häme region in southern Finland. Comparable regional municipal utility offering waste collection, sorting, and recycling services to households.
• Metsäsairila Oy: Regional waste management company serving the Mikkeli area in South Savo. Directly comparable regional waste operator; named as a joint campaign partner with Puhas in collection-point cleanliness initiatives.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/puhasoy
• Facebookfacebook.com/PuhasOy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/puhas-oy

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Puhas