Swedish Tourist Association
Start Guides and tips Mountain guide Waste management in the mountain cabins

Waste management in the mountain cabins

Waste management beyond accessible roads is a complex issue. Those of us who spend time in the delicate mountain environment must work together to make it function. The most important thing is to minimize the amount of waste and food scraps. As a visitor to the mountain areas, it is essential that you contribute by taking some of your own trash back down with you.

Here’s how waste management works

  1. All waste collected in the cabins must be transported down from the mountain or incinerated on-site where permitted. This includes everything—from food scraps and tin cans to snuff and tampons.
  2. In the mountains beyond accessible roads, ground transport is not possible during the snow-free season. Previously, we could incinerate waste at all mountain cabins, but in many places, this is no longer allowed. We do not consider flying down trash by helicopter a sustainable option.
  3. STF has well-functioning routines for handling recyclable waste that can be stored. You can leave this type of waste at the cabins, where it is stored and transported by snowmobile down to the road during winter. Be sure to clean, compress, and sort all such waste.
  4. Portable waste made of soft plastic and paper is difficult to store. It is bulky, smells bad, and attracts vermin. You need to help by carrying this type of trash down from the mountain.
  5. You can leave food waste in the mountain cabins that have compost facilities. From other locations, place it in your trash bag and carry it to a cabin/station with compost facilities or to the waste station by a road. Avoid food waste by not cooking more than you can eat.
  6. Rest cabins and shelters along the state mountain trails are managed by the County Administrative Board. There is usually no waste management and no place to dispose of trash.
  7. By planning and packing smartly, you can reduce the amount of waste in the mountain cabin.

Here’s what to do:

  1. Minimize the amount of waste and food scraps.
  2. Clean, compress, and sort all recyclables.
  3. Carry your portable trash down from the mountain.

Which trash should you carry with you?

Storable goods– feel free to leave

  1. Metal
  2. Glass
  3. Hard plastic
  4. Batteries
  5. Empty gas canisters
  6. Deposit cans and bottles

Portable trash – take it home

  1. Freeze-dried food bags, chip bags
  2. Soft plastic, crinkly plastic packaging, candy wrappers
  3. Paper packaging
  4. Snuff, tea bags, band-aids, sanitary pads, etc. 
  5. Anything labeled “sort as combustible”

Food waste – as little as possible

  1. Some of our cabins have compost facilities for food waste, but not all.
  2. In cabins with compost: place food waste in the marked compost bin in the kitchen.
  3. In cabins without compost: put it in your trash bag and carry it to a cabin/station with compost facilities or to a waste station by a road.

Waste management in practice

  1. You will receive a trash bag from the cabin host when you arrive at STF’s mountain cabin.
  2. Place all your own cleaned, portable trash in this bag
  3. If you need more bags, contact the cabin host.
  4. Carry your portable trash down from the mountain.
  5. Do not dump any food in nature!
  6. Dispose of the bag in the designated trash container at STF’s mountain stations in Kebnekaise, Abisko, Saltoluokta, Grövelsjön, and Storulvån, or at local waste station.

Waste-smart packing

Here you find practical tips on how to minimize the amount of trash and food waste. Together, we can manage waste in the mountain cabins – and it all starts with planning at home.

Read more