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Swedish waste management

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SWEDISH WASTE MANAGEMENT 2016

Innehåll » Preface ........................................................................................................ 3

» Waste quantities 2015 ......................................................................... 4-6

» How Swedish waste management works ......................................... 8-9

» Waste prevention .............................................................................. 10-11

» Collection and transport .................................................................. 12-14

» Material recycling ............................................................................. 15-16

» Hazardous waste .............................................................................. 18-19

» WEEE and batteries ......................................................................... 20-21

» Biological treatment ........................................................................ 22-24

» Energy recovery ................................................................................ 25-27

» Waste treatment plants with landfills ........................................... 28-29

» Customers, charges and costs ....................................................... 30-31

» Non-household waste ............................................................................ 32

» About Avfall Sverige ............................................................................... 33

» Office ........................................................................................................ 33

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PrefacePreventing the creation of waste is the first step in the waste hierarchy. It is the priority of both Swedish and European waste legislation. The waste hierarchy priority is: » waste prevention » reuse » material recycling » other recycling, e.g. energy recovery » disposal.

A growing number of municipalities have intro-duced the collection of food waste separated at source; and where food waste is collected sepa-rately it goes for biological treatment. In 2015 the amount of food waste going to biological treatment increased by 10 percent from 2014. Anaerobic digestion is generally on the increase while composting is decreasing.

Swedish Waste Management 2016 is intended for actors in the waste management industry, decision makers, authorities, educational institu-tions, the media and all other stakeholders. Using text, diagrams and tables we describe the management of household waste in Sweden. Statistics are taken from the Avfall Sverige web-based statistics system, Avfall Web, and from producer organisations.

Weine Wiqvist, Managing DirectorAvfall Sverige – Swedish Waste Management

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Waste quantities 2015

In 2015, the quantity of household waste treated was 4,703,790 tonnes. This is an increase of 4 percent on 2014. For the population as a whole, every Swede produced 478 kg of household waste in 2015, compared to 463 kg per person in 2014.

50.6 percent of the household waste was treated through material recycling, including biological treatment.

35.1 percent goes to material recycling, which increased by 2 percent to 1,652,710 tonnes, or 168 kg/person.

Biological treatment rose by 2 percent to 728,570 tonnes, or 74 kg/person. 15.5 percent of household waste underwent biological treat-ment in 2015. The quantity of food waste collect-ed increased by 10 percent to 427,630 tonnes. Increasing amounts of food waste are sent for anaerobic digestion rather than composting. The amount of food waste going to co-digestion plants rose by 17 percent, while food waste going to central composting plants fell by 15 per-cent. The amount of food waste going to anaero-bic digestion at waste water plants increased by 6 percent.

Energy recovery rose by 6 percent to 2,284,210 tonnes, or 232 kg/person. 48.6 per-cent of household waste went to energy recovery in 2015. The amount of household waste going to landfill increased by 16 percent (5,400 tonnes) to 38,300 tonnes compared to 2014, or

4 kg/person. Landfill accounts for 0.8 percent of the total amount of waste managed.

The amount of food waste and residual waste was largely unchanged, 2,221,280 tonnes or 225 kg/person. The amount of bulky waste increased by 3 percent to 1,773,930 tonnes, or 180 kg/person.

The household waste statistics are taken from the Avfall Sverige web-based statistics system, Avfall Web, and from producer organizations. Avfall Web is a tool used by the municipalities for development, benchmarking and statistics. Municipalities and treatment plants report information on waste management and the quantities collected and treated. This information then forms the basis of national household waste statistics.

Comparative statistics are compiled in the EU, but because the countries use different con-cepts and methods of measurement such com-parisons are not reliable. The latest statistics, which are for 2014, show that household waste quantities in the EU amounted to 475 kg per per-son for the population as a whole. This is a reduction of 6 kg per person compared to the previous year. Approximately 44 percent of the household waste was treated through material recycling, including biological treatment. In total, 27 percent went to energy recovery and 28 per-cent was sent to landfill within the EU.1

1 All EU statistics are available at http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat

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milj. tonnes5

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1

0 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Material recyclingBiological treatment

Energy recoveryLandfill

WASTE TREND 2016 OVERVIEW 1975-2015

tonnes

1994 20152010200520001975

Biological treatment LandfillMaterial recyclingEnergy recovery

0

1

2

3

4

5

Source separated household waste in different fractions.

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TREATED AMOUNTS OF HOUSEHOLD WASTE 2011-2015 (TONNES)

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Material recycling 1,425,690 1,422,250 1,467,200 1,617,930 1,652,710Biological treatment 653,300 673,180 711,450 713,110 728,570Energy recovery 2,235,720 2,270,650 2,235,930 2,148,640 2,284,210Landfill 38,200 32,600 33,300 32,900 38,300

Total amount treated 4,352,910 4,398,680 4,447,880 4,512,580 4,703,790

TREATED AMOUNTS OF HOUSEHOLD WASTE 2011-2015 (KG/PERSON)

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Material recycling 150 149 152 166 168Biological treatment 69 70 74 73 74Energy recovery 236 238 232 221 232Landfill 4 3 3 3 4

Total amount treated 459 460 461 463 478

TREATED AMOUNTS OF HOUSEHOLD WASTE 2011-2015 (%)

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Material recycling 32.8 32.3 33.0 35.9 35.1Biological treatment 15.0 15.3 16.0 15.8 15.5Energy recovery 51.4 51.6 50.3 47.6 48.6Landfill 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8Total amount treated 100 100 100 100 100

COLLECTED AMOUNTS OF FOOD WASTE, RESIDUAL WASTE, AND BULKY WASTE, 2011-2015 (TONNES)

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Food and residual waste 2,230,900 2,212,000 2,208,000 2,221,720 2,221,280Bulky waste 1,638,000 1,727,000 1,780,000 1,719,180 1,773,930

AMOUNTS COLLECTED (KG/PERSON) 2011-2015

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Food and residual waste 235 231 229 228 225Bulky waste 173 181 185 176 180

Source: Avfall WebThe term “waste in bins and bags” has been replaced with the term “food and residual waste”, which consists of both combustible household waste and source-separated food waste.

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There are several variants of kerbside collection. Here is an example of a green building with containers for several different fractions.

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How Swedish waste manage-

ment worksAccording to the definition in the Swedish Environmental Code, waste is any matter or object that the bearer disposes of, intends to dispose of, or is obligated to dispose of.

The responsibilities of municipalities

The municipalities are responsible for the collec-tion of any household waste not covered by pro-ducer responsibility and for its transport to waste treatment plants for recycling or disposal to land-fill. This applies to both waste from households and similar waste from restaurants, shops, offic-es, etc. Waste must be handled in an environ-mentally responsible manner.

Every municipality is required to have its own waste and sanitation ordinance, which consists of a waste plan and regulations for waste man-agement. The waste plan should include details of how the municipality intends to reduce the amount of waste and the danger posed by it.

Preparation for reuse is also part of the munic-ipal responsibility. The municipalities are also working to promote the prevention of waste and its recycling, despite this not yet being their stat-utory responsibility.

The responsibility of producers

Sweden has producer responsibility for: » recyclable paper » packaging » electrical and electronic waste » tyres » cars » batteries » pharmaceutical products.

Producers are responsible for collecting and disposing of end-of-life products. This means that there must be suitable collection systems and treatment methods for recycling.

Producer responsibility is also intended to encourage producers to develop products that are more economic with resources, easier to recycle and do not contain substances which are harmful to the environment.

The responsibility of households

Households are responsible for separating and depositing waste at available collection points. They must also follow the municipality’s rules for waste management.

The responsibility of businesses

Businesses are responsible for disposing of non-household waste and waste that is not covered by producer responsibility.

Waste hierarchy

The waste hierarchy has been incorporated into the Environmental Code. According to the legal text, anyone who operates a business or carries out an action shall be conservative with use of raw materials and energy, and utilize opportuni-ties to 1. reduce the amount of waste,2. reduce the amount of harmful substances in

materials and products,3. reduce the negative effects of waste, and4. recycle waste.

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Treatment methods

Waste treatment methods are » material recycling » biological treatment » energy recovery » landfill.

Hazardous waste can be treated using one or more of these methods, depending on its charac-teristics.

Recycling means that the waste will be used as replacement for another material. Preparation for reuse is also a recovery operation. According to the definition, this refers to cleaning or repair that enables products that have become waste to be reused.

Material recycling reduces environmental impact at the same time as it saves energy and natural resources.

Biological treatment closes the eco-cycle and returns nutrients to the soil. The waste is treated through anaerobic digestion (i.e. treatment with-out access to oxygen) or composting (i.e. treat-ment with access to oxygen, which is known as aerobic treatment). Anaerobic digestion produces digestate and biogas, which can be used as a vehicle fuel. Compost is a soil conditioner which can be used in gardens, parks and landscaping.

Energy recovery is a method ideally suited for waste which cannot be recycled in any other way. At the same time, energy recovery generates both district heating and electricity.

Landfill is a treatment method for waste that cannot or should not be recycled. Landfill entails waste being stored in a manner that is safe in the long-term. Sending organic or combustible waste to landfill is prohibited.

BREAKDOWN OF RESPONSIBILITIES

SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR THE COLLECTION OF FOOD AND RESIDUAL WASTE

Municipal self-administration 138 48%

Municipal associations 43 15%

Joint boards 7 2%

Municipal enterprises, wholly-owned 49 17%

Municipal enterprises, partially-owned 53 18%

Solely private providers 66%

Solely in-house 28%

Combination 6%

Number of municipalities

Organizational structures

The municipalities must choose themselves how waste management is organized. Local govern-ment autonomy is part of the Swedish Constitution, and there are several organizational structures available: » self-administration » municipal enterprises, independently or jointly

with other municipalities » joint boards » municipal associations.

Collaboration between municipalities is a natural operational structure, providing the greatest pos-sible environmental and social benefit, managing waste cost effectively and ensuring the requisite

competencies are in place. Municipalities can also cooperate in relation to specific issues, such as joint procurement.

In 66 percent of the country’s municipalities, the collection of food and residual waste is pri-marily carried out by private contractors. 28 per-cent of municipalities carry out collection them-selves, and the others use a combination of pri-vate contractors and in-house collection services.

Waste treatment is either undertaken by the municipality/municipal enterprise itself, or by an external contractor, which can be another munic-ipality, municipal enterprise or private company. The distribution between the various structures depends on the method of waste treatment.

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Waste preventionPreventing the creation of waste is the first step in the waste hierarchy. It is the priority of both Swedish and European waste legislation.

The waste hierarchy priority is: » waste prevention » reuse » material recycling » other recovery, energy recovery for example » disposal.

Exceptions to this hierarchy may be necessary for technical, financial or environmental reasons.

All EU member states must have national pro-grammes to reduce the amount of waste and to reduce the quantity of hazardous substances in waste. In Sweden, the Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for this. In its waste pre-vention plan, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has focused on four waste streams that have a major environmental impact: » textiles » food » electronics » construction and demolition waste.

Preventing waste leads to the

greatest environmental benefit

Sweden has a good track record when it comes to recovering material, energy and nutrients from waste. Additional environmental benefits can be achieved by preventing the production of waste and by increasing reuse. There are also purely economic gains to be made by preventing waste. For example the cost of edible food waste is the equivalent of SEK 4,000-6,000 for a household

annually. Edible food waste is defined as unnec-essary food waste, i.e. food that could have been eaten if it had been handled properly and con-sumed at the right time.

Swedish municipalities have an important role in reducing the amount of waste and the quantity of hazardous substances in the waste that is pro-duced. For Avfall Sverige’s members, preventing waste is of the highest priority, demonstrated by our long-term vision “Zero Waste”.

Avfall Sverige’s long-term goals are for growth not to result in more waste, and for Sweden to climb up the waste hierarchy in a measurable manner. This means that Avfall Sverige strives to ensure that households and others are able to consume and act responsibly. The goals are monitored via waste quantities, waste indicators, and solid waste analyses.

Through knowledge and experience and based on both direct and indirect social responsibility, Avfall Sverige strives towards the objective of nothing being consumed unnecessarily and everything being utilized optimally.

Follow-up tools

It is important to follow up developments in waste management so that the measures taken really help achieve the goals. Avfall Sverige, in partnership with a number of other actors, has therefore developed indicators for resource-effi-cient waste management, and tools for monitor-ing progress towards our long-term goals.

Avfall Sverige will continue its work and will develop additional tools to support the munici-palities in their efforts to increase reuse and pre-vent waste.

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Reuse

It is becoming increasingly common for the municipalities to collaborate on reuse at recy-cling centres with various charity organizations. Clothes and other items can be deposited here for reuse.

Half of the recycling centres accept materials for reuse, such as clothes and furniture. To facili-tate the prevention and reuse work of the munici-palities, Avfall Sverige has published a guide that explains the legal requirements.

EU project and campaign

Since 2009, Avfall Sverige has been the national coordinator of the EU project “European Week for Waste Reduction”, which is also supported by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. The project runs for one week in November, when activities aimed at reducing the amount of waste and the quantity of hazardous substances in waste are arranged all over Europe. Information on the project is available at www.ewwr.eu.

Avfall Sverige and the country’s municipalities are conducting a joint campaign on the preven-tion of waste and the promotion of reuse, join the “Miljönär-vänlig” movement. The campaign is based on backing sustainable consumption and promoting the notion that there is much to be gained through repairing, sharing and reusing. The long-term goal is to reduce the amount of waste and make sustainable consumption into a good habit. Those granted the label must focus on getting the public to repair, share, reuse or reduce waste in some other way. The campaign’s website, miljönär.se, has a map with all busi-nesses in the country that have been granted the label.

The “Miljönär-vänlig” label is given to businesses that benefit the

environment by promoting repairing, sharing and reusing. The

label was created to promote sustainable consumption through

reuse, sharing and repair.

Maria Eriksson is a supervisor at the recycling centre in Gävle, where items can be turned in for reuse. Photo: Gästrike återvinnare.

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Collection and transport

There are a number of different systems for col-lecting and transporting household waste. Household food and residual waste can be col-lected either as a mixed fraction for energy recovery or in separate fractions – one for food waste and one for combustible waste.

To achieve higher levels of material recycling, the kerbside collection of packaging and news-papers from households is increasing. About 40 percent of apartment blocks and about 10 per-cent of the detached houses in the country cur-rently have access to kerbside collection.

Mixed combustible residual waste from sin-gle-family houses is generally collected in 190 litre bins that are emptied every fortnight. There are also a number of different bag and bin sizes emp-tied at different intervals. Waste from apartment blocks is usually collected on a weekly basis.

The most common collection system for source-separated food waste is in separate bins, one for food waste and one for combustible waste. There are also other systems, such as opti-cal sorting or multi-compartment systems. Optical sorting requires households to separate waste into different coloured bags that are placed in the same bin. These bags are then transported to an optical sorting facility where they are automatical-ly separated for appropriate treatment.

In municipalities with kerbside collection of packaging and newspapers from detached hous-es, the waste is commonly separated into two four-compartment bins which are collected at dif-ferent intervals. One bin can be intended for e.g. waste such as food waste, combustible waste, paper packaging and coloured glass. This is col-lected every other week. The other bin, with e.g. waste such as clear glass, metal, plastic packag-ing and newspaper, is emptied every four or eight

weeks. In apartment blocks with kerbside collec-tion of packaging and newspapers, all fractions are usually collected every week.

Traditional rear-loading vehicles are still the most predominant waste collection vehicles, but side-loading vehicles are also common and the proportion of multi-compartment vehicles is growing.

The choice of fuel can be controlled by the requirements the municipality sets during pro-curement. A growing number of vehicles use bio-gas as fuel, but other alternative fuels are also used. Examples of alternative fuels include RME, which is a fuel made from rapeseed oil, and HVO, which is a synthetic diesel made from e.g. slaughterhouse or grain waste. Various types of hybrid technology in the vehicles are also increasing to reduce environmental impact.

Through procurement, municipalities can also impose requirements on the adaptation of waste bins and vehicles for health and safety at work.

Development of the collection system

Waste collection previously meant heavy lifting and many work-related injuries, but today bags have been replaced by bins or other types of container, providing a better working environ-ment. While the working environment has improved in many respects, there are still prob-lems that the industry is working to resolve.

In many places, manual waste handling has been replaced by new technology and automated systems such as vacuum waste collection and underground container systems. Both of these systems are on the increase, particularly in the cities and in newly built areas. The advantages of these systems include collection not requiring as much heavy manual handling and that they are

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aesthetically more appealing. Vacuum waste col-lection is a fully automated system which reduc-es the need for transports, particularly in resi-dential areas. There are two kinds of vacuum waste collection systems, stationary and mobile. The stationary vacuum waste collection system collects waste pneumatically in an automated vacuum system. This is then transported through underground tubes from the refuse chutes to large containers located in a terminal. These containers are collected by a hookloader vehicle. The mobile vacuum waste collection system also uses air to collect waste. A storage tank is posi-tioned under each refuse chute. The tanks are connected together to a docking point through an underground system of tubes. The vehicle connects to the docking point for collection.

Underground container systems are another fast growing collection system. Containers placed underground reduce the need for space at street level. The temperature underground is relatively low, which prevents odours. The containers are emptied using a vehicle with loader crane.

There are also underground containers that can be emptied using a front loader vehicle. Because underground containers hold larger vol-umes, the number of trips can be reduced.

Recycling centres

At the manned municipal recycling centres, house-holds can drop off bulky waste, electronic waste and hazardous waste. Bulky waste is household waste that is too heavy, too bulky or otherwise inappropriate for collection in bags or bins.

In 2015, households dropped off 1,773,930 tonnes of bulky waste, mostly at manned munici-pal recycling centres. This amount of bulky waste corresponds to 180 kg/person. There are around

583 recycling centres throughout the country which combined receive about 26 million visits annually.

The quantity of bulky waste and hazardous waste dropped off at recycling centres has increased significantly in recent years. Many municipalities have therefore adapted and mod-ernized their recycling centres. Several munici-palities are choosing to collect activities in one or just a few large plants and are phasing out plants that are too old, too small, or that have logistics or working environments that do not live up to current needs.

Neighbourhood recycling centres are currently being tested in several parts of the country. Mobile recycling centres are also common; these are manned mobile centres that accept hazard-ous waste, some bulky waste and also WEEE. These mobile centres visit a number of perma-nent collection points according to a schedule.

The recycling centres also handle hazardous household waste with the risks that this can involve when the waste is received, sorted and transported. In order to create a safe environ-ment for visitors and staff continuous occupa-tional health and safety work is undertaken on risk assessment, the correct protective gear and secure premises for handling the hazardous waste.

Many of Sweden’s recycling centres have been greatly affected by thefts and break-ins. Personnel have also been threatened by visitors. Most of the larger, newly-built recycling centres have therefore installed electric fences or sur-veillance cameras. Some have even employed security firms during particularly vulnerable peri-ods. Several municipalities have also introduced a barrier system at their recycling centres. This

improves safety, provides a functional access control system and boosts visitor statistics.

This system is often combined with an entry pass giving households a certain number of free visits. In several municipalities, owners of small businesses may also use the services provided at the recycling centres for a fee.

Recycling stations

The producer system, with some 5,800 unmanned recycling stations for handling pack-aging and newspaper, is designed to cover the entire country. Collection systems should be based on consultation between the producers and municipalities. The recycling stations have separate containers for newspaper and various packaging materials.

In recent years, the recycling station system has undergone extensive renovation and techni-cal development.

Sludge and latrine waste

Collecting liquid waste such as sludge, grease separation sludge and cooking oil is the respon-sibility of the municipalities. The 217 municipali-ties that have reported data to Avfall Web have a total of 578,000 individual wastewater treatment plants. These handle about 1.5 million tonnes of sludge. 15 percent of municipalities use sludge dewatering vehicles; the rest use conventional sludge vehicles. 89 percent of municipalities employ private contractors for the collection of sludge; 11 percent undertake this in-house.

200 municipalities have reported that they handle 70,300 latrine waste collections per year, in total 1,000 tonnes of latrine waste. The scope varies from one latrine waste removal per year in certain municipalities up to 11,000 removals in municipalities with many second homes.

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Sludge from grease separators also constitutes household waste. 170 municipalities handled 122,000 tonnes of sludge from a total of 15,250 grease separators. On average, each system is emptied three times a year.

New solutions, such as phosphorous traps and micro sewage works for reducing phosphorous in individual plants, have been installed in recent years. This is because more stringent require-ments have been imposed on the reduction of emissions that cause eutrophication. Filter mate-rial from phosphorous traps and sludge from small wastewater treatment plants is classed as household waste, and it is municipal waste man-agement services that are responsible for remov-al and treatment.

Sludge collection is often hard and physically tiring with several manual operations such as

pulling hoses long distances, lifting heavy man-hole covers and hard sludge cake. The Swedish Work Environment Authority is scrutinizing sludge collection and in various campaigns has told employers that heavy manual handling must stop.

The municipalities are taking an active role in the long-term improvement of the working envi-ronment. Cooperation is required between the various actors to strategically and systematically work on occupational health and safety issues. Taking inventory of and documenting the munici-pality’s collection points is an important compo-nent in improvement, and is crucial to a sound and transparent procurement process.

Collecting cooking oil

There are municipalities that collect source-sepa-rated cooking oil, mainly to reduce operating prob-

lems and blockages in drainage systems, but cooking oil can also be recycled or reused. A report from Avfall Sverige shows different methods of collecting and treating the oil. One system is that households pour cooking oil into sealed con-tainers and then hand it in at a recycling centre.

There are various recovery and treatment options for the source-separated and collected cooking oil. It can be used: » as a raw material for the chemical industry » in anaerobic digestion for biogas production » in the production of biofuel » for energy recovery

An alternative is to pour the cooking oil into a container that is then collected with combustible waste and goes to energy recovery.

Foto: PWS

Foto: Plastic Omnium

Foto: Envac

Foto: SansacFoto: Optibag

Some examples of collection systems other than bins and bags.

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Material recycling

1,652,710 tonnes, 35.1 percent, of household waste went to material recycling in 2015. This corresponds to 168 kg per person. This is an increase of 2 percent on 2014.

This increase stems to a great extent from waste such as rock, glass wool, tiles, soil, bricks and concrete that has been turned in to munici-pal recycling centres. This is a type of waste pri-marily used as construction material.

The total amount of household waste submit-ted to material recycling includes collected pack-aging and paper submitted by households to the collection systems owned by the producers. These fractions amounted to 716,150 tonnes or 72.7 kg per person.

Collection systems

Household packaging and paper is mainly collect-ed through unmanned recycling stations owned by the producers. Collection can also be available using manned municipal recycling centres.

A growing number of municipalities have intro-duced the kerbside collection of packaging and newspapers. This is increasing in particular for detached houses through collection in multi-com-partment systems or through the collection of coloured bags which then undergo optical sorting.

Most producers of packaging and newspapers have organized their collection and recovery undertakings through the company Förpacknings- och tidningsinsamlingen – FTI. A small number of producers are organized through the company TMR.

Households, and sometimes also small busi-nesses, can drop off their bulky waste, WEEE and hazardous waste at manned municipal recy-cling stations. A lot of bulky waste, for example scrap metal, can be recycled. Wood is often used as fuel, garden waste is composted or goes to energy recovery, rock and soil are used as fill material etc.

Nowadays there are even methods for the recovery of plaster, flat glass and non-packaging plastic. Textile is a fraction that has received increased environmental focus and is increasing-ly collected separately, usually in partnership with non-profit organizations for reuse or recy-cling of textile fibres.

Material recycling plays a key role in a sustain-able society. It is therefore vital that waste be viewed as a resource, and handled correctly.

Material recycling means that separated mate-rials can replace other production materials or construction materials. Material recycling not

only results in a reduction in the consumption of virgin material; it also leads to energy savings. For example, using one tonne of recycled steel we can save the same amount of virgin material, and more than one tonne of carbon dioxide.

More can be recycled

About 60 percent of the contents of household waste bags can be recycled. In households where there is no separation of food waste, the figure is almost 80 percent. This is shown in a survey from Avfall Sverige. The survey compiled 246 waste component analyses carried out in Swedish municipalities.

Generally speaking, house owners are better at sorting out recyclable material. Approximately 30 percent of the content of a rubbish bag from a household in a single-family detached home consists of packaging and newspaper. For house-holds in apartment blocks, this figure is 36 per-cent. Half a percent of the contents of the rub-bish bag consists of hazardous waste, batteries and WEEE.

The chosen collection system also affects the degree of separation. For example, single-family houses with kerbside collection leave half the amount of packaging and recyclable paper in the rubbish bag compared with other households.

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AMOUNTS OF PACKAGING AND PAPER COLLECTED FROM HOUSEHOLDS FOR MATERIAL RECYCLING 2015

[tonnes] [kg/person]Recyclable paper 293,310 29.8Paper packaging 142,920 14.5Metal packaging 17,660 1.8Plastic packaging 63,310 6.4Glass packaging 198,950 20.2

Total 716,150 72.7

Source: Avfall Web and Förpacknings- and tidningsinsamlingen (FTI)The information relates only to waste collected from households through recycling stations and by kerbside collection.

COLLECTED HOUSEHOLD WASTE FOR MATERIAL RECYCLING 2011-2015 (TONNES)

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Return paper 383,500 358,070 332,780 313,640 293,310Packaging made from cardboard, metal, plastic and glass 682,100 618,940 648,650 673,310 712,020Electrical waste including cooling units 154,340 147,670 146,270 148,780 126,540Portable batteries 3,200 3,460 3,120 3,100 3,040Car batteries 6,780 6,450 6,850 6,590 6,720Oil waste 1,820 1,690 1,740 1,840 1,830Water-based paint 4,100 4,010 4,210 4,140 4,220Other hazardous waste for material recycling - - - - 8,580Scrap metal 164,730 153,000 153,030 156,060 160,850Plaster 18,090 17,520 22,410 23,040 23,490Flat glass 1,630 1,250 1,400 1,590 1,640Plastic, not packaging 5,400 4,010 4,170 3,350 7,150Cardboard from recycling centre - 36,320 43,420 44,060 52,610Textile waste - - - 2,320 1,760Construction material - - - 175,150 210,730Other material for recycling, incl. tyres - 69,860 99,150 60,960 37,810Deep fat fryer and food grease - - - - 410

Total 1,425,690 1,422,250 1,467,200 1,617,930 1,652,710

Source: Avfall Web, El-Kretsen, Elektronikåtervinningsföreningen and Förpacknings- och tidningsinsamlingen (FTI)The amounts of packaging also include packaging collected from businesses. A lot of this material is ‘equivalent household waste’.*Electrical waste and batteries only include that collected from households. According to information from El-Kretsen, 8 percent of the amount is presumed to come from businesses.

MATERIAL RECYCLING HOUSEHOLDS 1975-2015

tonnes

1995 201520051975

Material recyclingMaterial recycling excluding office paper,including new fractions for recovery

19850

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

1,800,000

2,000,000

*

*

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Baled waste awaiting transport for recycling.

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Hazardous waste71,220 tonnes of hazardous waste were collect-ed from households in 2015, an increase of 2 percent compared with the previous year. This corresponds to 7.2 kg per capita. This also includes 43,400 tonnes of impregnated timber and 3,500 tonnes of asbestos. Hazardous waste in the form of paint, chemicals and oil waste amounted to 24,320 tonnes.

Hazardous substances may be found in extremely small quantities in some products, but taken as a whole they can cause substantial damage if they end up in the wrong place. It is therefore important that hazardous waste be sep-arated and handled properly in the right place.

The municipalities are responsible for the col-lection, transport and treatment of hazardous waste from households. This responsibility is reg-ulated by the Swedish Environmental Code, the Swedish Waste Ordinance and the Municipal Waste Regulation Ordinance.

Households have an obligation to separate hazardous waste from other household waste. Most municipalities have regulated this obligation in the municipal refuse collection regulations.

There are no exact details on the amount of hazardous waste produced by industry, but

according to the latest official waste statistics, reported to the EU by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, 2.7 million tonnes of hazard-ous waste were produced in Sweden in 2014.

Collection systems

The most common collection system for hazard-ous household waste is to hand it in at manned municipal recycling centres. A survey conducted by Avfall Sverige shows that almost half of the country’s municipalities also practice some type of kerbside collection of hazardous household waste. More than half of the municipalities also have some type of consumer-oriented hazardous waste collection. Consumer-oriented collection is carried out in shops or other public places. The percentage of municipalities with kerbside and consumer-oriented collection has increased sig-nificantly since a similar survey was conducted in 2009. Almost one-third of the municipalities have collection via recycling collection vehicles and/or recycling stations. Use of recycling collec-tion vehicles is becoming more common, while the number of recycling stations has decreased.

The percentage of municipalities with mobile recycling centres has increased some. All collec-

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QUANTITY OF HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTED 2000-2015

tonnes

-10 -15-00 -05

Collected quantities of hazardous waste (excl. impregnated timber and asbestos)Collected quantities of hazardous waste (including impregnated timber)Collected quantities of hazardous waste (including asbestos and impregnated timber)

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

tion systems that involve a higher level of service have increased since 2009.

Treatment methods

Hazardous waste handed in at collection or waste treatment plants often requires pre-treatment. As hazardous waste may contain substances which are to be phased out of the eco-cycle, treatment is often aimed at destroying these sub-stances. Substances that cannot be rendered harmless or reused are taken to landfill. In such cases, it is important that the waste be chemically and physically stable so that hazardous substances do not leak out into the surrounding environment.

To recycle material from hazardous waste, hazardous sub-stances are separated and the residue is recycled. This method is used for the disposal of paint tins and oil filters among other things. Toxic and persistent substances, such as pesticides and other hazardous chemical waste, are incinerated in special furnaces at high temperatures.

Contaminated soil can be decontaminated through e.g. biodegradation, thermal treatment or soil washing.

Impregnated timber contains substances hazardous to the environment such as arsenic, creosote and copper. Collected timber is chipped and incinerated in specially licensed energy recovery plants.

20


WEEE and batteries

137,300 tonnes of WEEE, excluding batteries, was collected in 2015, an average of 13.9 kg per person. This is a reduction compared with 2014 due to a reduction in the weight of individual products. However, when counted in quantity, more products are actually being collected. 3,310 tonnes of portable and built-in batteries and 6,720 tonnes of car batteries were collected in 2015. This information comes from the pro-ducers’ organizations.

Collection systems

Since producers’ responsibility for WEEE was introduced in Sweden 15 years ago, municipali-ties and producers have cooperated on the man-agement of electronic waste. Avfall Sverige, the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, and the electrical producers’ service company, El-Kretsen, are collaborating on the “El-retur” system. The municipalities undertake, in return for remuneration, to be responsible for the collection of WEEE from households, while the producers are responsible for its treatment. In turn El-Kretsen collaborates with

“Elektronikåtervinning i Sverige”, an economic association that also represents the producers.

Collection of WEEE from households is primari-ly carried out at manned municipal recycling cen-tres, of which there are 583 throughout the country. But, the majority of municipalities have several different collection systems for WEEE, both kerbside and consumer-oriented. Avfall Sverige and El-Kretsen collaborate with several municipalities on different projects to develop these collection systems.

For example, there are several different types of collection containers placed in shops and other public places all over Sweden.

Since 1 October 2015, shops are responsible for taking in WEEE. Large shops that sell elec-tronics collect all types of consumer electronics smaller than 25 cm, even if the consumer does not buy anything. For other shops, a one-for-one principle applies, i.e. if you buy a product you have the option of turning in one equivalent old product at that shop. The collected material is submitted free of charge to an approved recy-cling collection system.

21


The development of different recycling tech-nologies has simplified the collection process for consumers, who can now put all their small light sources into the same container. The battery pro-ducers are responsible for the collection, treat-ment and recycling of all batteries, regardless of when they appeared on the market. Producers are also responsible for conducting nationwide information activities. In approximately 70 per-cent of municipalities, the producers’ organiza-tion, El-Kretsen, handles the collection of porta-ble batteries. In the others, the municipality han-dles collection in return for agreed remuneration from the producers.

COLLECTED AMOUNTS OF PORTABLE AND BUILT-IN BATTERIES 2003-2015

kg/person

-03 -15-10-05

Built-inPortableSmall batteries

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

0.35

0.40

COLLECTED WEEE FOR RECOVERY 2003-2015

-03 -05 -10 -15

tonnes

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

Includes WEEE not covered by producer responsibility

Source: El-Kretsen and Elektronikåtervinningsföreningen8 percent is presumed to come from businesses according to information from El-Kretsen. This makes the amount collected from households 126,500 tonnes.

Treatment methods

WEEE is pre-treated – separated and dismantled – before being sent for further treatment. Pre-treatment is carried out at certified facilities, after which the waste is sent for final treatment or recy-cling. Components containing hazardous sub-stances are treated at approved treatment plants.

Much can be recovered once the hazardous substances have been removed. Plastic cases are incinerated in energy recovery plants, and metals are sent to smelting plants for recovery. Recovered copper, aluminium and iron are used as raw materials in new products. Computers, mobile phones and other IT products contain small amounts of precious metals that are also recovered. For example, some printed circuit boards contain gold and/or silver. Fluorescent

tubes and low-energy bulbs contain mercury. These products are therefore separated and treated in a closed process in which the mercury is disposed of in a safe and controlled manner while the fluorescent powder can be reused in the production of new light sources. Metal and electronic waste go to specialized recovery com-panies that recover metals and use plastics for energy recovery. The glass is cleaned and reused. Other types of light bulbs, such as incan-descent bulbs and LED lights, are treated as part of the same process as fluorescent tubes and low-energy bulbs.

All batteries should be collected and recycled as far as possible. The batteries are sorted by chemical content before being sent for recovery or disposal.

22


Biological treatment

In 2015, 728,570 tonnes of household waste went to biological treatment – anaerobic digestion or composting. This is an increase of 2 percent compared to 2014. 74 kg household waste per person underwent biological treatment in 2015. Biological treatment now makes up 15.5 percent of the total amount of treated household waste.

The biological treatment of food waste, exclud-ing home compost, was 427,630 tonnes in 2015. The amount of food waste going to co-digestion plants rose by 17 percent, while food waste going to central composting plants fell by 15 percent.

According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s calculations, approximately 79 kg food waste is produced per person annually in Swedish households. In addition 14 kg/person is produced from restaurants and catering and 3 kg/person from retail. In total, 935,000 tonnes of waste are produced in the above categories.

In 2014, 38 percent of food waste was recy-cled through biological treatment to recover plant nutrients. With 27 percent of the waste, both plant nutrients and energy were recovered. By 2018, the goal is for at least 50 percent of food waste to be treated biologically to recover plant nutrients and at least 40 percent of the waste treated to recover both nutrients and energy.

Increased collection of

source-separated food waste

The collection of source-separated food waste increased by 10 percent in 2015 compared to 2014. 204 municipalities, 70 percent, collect source-separated food waste to varying degrees.

Many municipalities provide collection from households, catering kitchens and restaurants,

while a few only provide collection from catering kitchens and restaurants.

In 2011, Avfall Sverige published a report to help municipalities and businesses get started with the collection of source-separated food waste. The report is just as relevant today and, among other things, shows that it takes many years to introduce a collection system for source-separated food waste, from initial plan-ning to the introduction of the system. It also shows that factors such as planning, adequate human resources, information, monitoring and control are key factors to success. The report outlines the systems available in the market, and describes the experience of those municipalities that have already introduced source-separated food waste collection.

Avfall Sverige has also created an overview of various collection systems for source-separated household food waste. The report describes what happens throughout the chain and uses this to assess how it affects quality.

Another report from Avfall Sverige shows that active quality assurance in the collection phase is required to achieve good quality. The quality of the end product is dependent on how well the food waste is separated at the source. An impor-tant tool for good quality is varying types of com-munication initiatives.

Collection systems

The most common collection system for source-separated food waste from single-family detached homes is a separate container. There are also multi-compartment systems in which dif-ferent fractions are sorted into separate contain-

23


ers, and collection systems using the optical sorting of different coloured bags that are put into the same container. The collection of food waste through optical sorting is becoming increasingly common.

Treatment methods

The main purpose of biological treatment is the circulation of nutrients in society as a means of closing the eco-cycle.

Anaerobic digestion is the most common method of treating food waste. Anaerobic diges-tion produces biogas, which consists mainly of methane and carbon dioxide. Biogas is a renewa-ble source of energy. Following refinement, it can be used as a vehicle fuel. It can also be used for heating or electricity generation.

Anaerobic digestion also produces digestate, a fertilizer with a high nutrient content. 1.7 million tonnes of digestate were produced in 2015. Using digestate instead of mineral fertilizer recy-cles plant nutrients back into the eco-cycle. This includes phosphorus, which is a finite resource. For example, if all household food waste was used for plant nutrients this would replace 7 per-cent of the phosphorus imported in the form of mineral fertilizer. This is shown in figures from Avfall Sverige.

In 2016, Avfall Sverige launched the website biogodsel.se. The website contains information on what digestate is, how it is used, what effect it has, and what regulations govern its use.

Certified recovery

Plants that produce com-post or digestate from clean source-separated substrate from the food-stuff and feedstuff chains can quality label their

products through our certified recovery system. This is a certification system developed by Avfall Sverige in consultation with the agricultural and food industries, compost and digestate produc-ers, soil producers, public authorities and researchers. LRF (the Federation of Swedish Farmers), Svenska Kvarnföreningen (the Swedish flour milling industry organization), Lantmännen, Svenska Foder and KRAV are some of the organizations that approve diges-tates based on source-separated food waste certified in accordance with the Avfall Sverige SPCR 120 system. The Technical Research

Institute of Sweden (SP) is the inspection body for this certification system.

Today, 70 percent of all digestate produced in co-digestion plants and used in agriculture, is certified. Certification places demands on the entire production chain, from incoming substrate to the end product. There are also requirements related to the implementation of the process.

The website biogodsel.se contains contact details for biogas plants that produce certified digestate, what amounts of certified digestate are produced, and what it contains.

Minimizing methane emissions

Avfall Sverige is engaged in an initiative for self-inspection to minimize methane emissions from biogas and refining plants. These emissions should be minimized for environmental, econom-ic and safety reasons. Some 40 biogas and refin-ing plants have signed up to the system.

24


BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT IN TOTAL INCLUDING HOUSEHOLD WASTE 2011-2015 (TONNES)1

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Anaerobic digestion 555,050 695,940 945,550 1,227,990 1,616,080Composting 690,100 558,830 528,640 502,500 418,340

Total 1,245,150 1,254,770 1,474,190 1,730,490 2,034,420

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 2011-2015 (TONNES)

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Biofertilizer 594,310 725,970 939,800 1,236,560 1,712,050

ENERGY PRODUCTION 2011-2015 (MWH)

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Vehicle gas 321,600 353,180 511,470 591,960 747,680Electricity 60 0 0 2,100 87,370Heating 17,380 15,540 24,400 30,070 38,480Flaring 10,390 25,640 31,760 38,260 34,100Other - - - 3,180 18,480

Total (MWh) 349,430 394,360 567,630 665,570 926,110

Source: Avfall Web, Avfall Sverige.1) These amounts relate to the digestion plants that have reported figures to Avfall Web. This summary does not provide a complete picture of biological treatment in Sweden.

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Food waste to co-digestion plants 132,380 185,540 227,720 275,370 316,850Food waste to central composting plants 77,520 73,370 63,030 52,880 44,700Food waste undergoing anaerobic digestion at purification plants 68,000 59,310 79,320 61,500 66,080Food waste that is home composted 51,500 51,800 48,700 48,300 44,500Green waste to centralized composting plants 323,900 303,160 292,680 275,060 56,440

Total 653,300 673,180 711,450 713,110 728,570

Food waste is household waste and thus equivalent whether it comes from households, restaurants, food shops, schools and similar businesses. Waste from the food industry, slaughterhouses, etc. is not included. Food waste undergoing anaerobic digestion includes food waste via a food waste disposer to the drainage system.

BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF HOUSEHOLD WASTE 1975-2015

BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF HOUSEHOLD WASTE 2011-2015 (TONNES)

tonnes

-05 -15-10-00-95-750

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

800,000

25


Energy recoveryIn 2015, 2,284,210 tonnes of household waste went to energy recovery. This is an increase of 6 percent from 2014. This means that every inhab-itant of Sweden sent 232 kg household waste to energy recovery in 2015. Energy recovery makes up 48.6 percent of the total amount of treated household waste.

Waste is an important fuel in Swedish district heating systems. In 2015, a total of 17 TWh of energy was produced, of which 14.7 TWh was used for heating and 2.3 TWh for electricity. Sweden recovers more energy from waste than any other country in Europe, approximately 3 MWh per tonne2.

In addition to household waste, 3,491,190 tonnes of other waste, primarily industrial waste, was also treated by Swedish plants.

1,328,500 tonnes of waste was imported by Avfall Sverige members for energy recovery in 2015, primarily from Norway, Great Britain, and Ireland. Swedish energy recovery contributes to more waste being lifted from landfill in the waste hierarchy in Europe.

Avfall Sverige’s statistical information refers to plants treating household waste, with the excep-tion of Kils Energi. Energy recovery also occurs in plants that do not treat household waste. However, we do not have access to statistics on this. There are no comprehensive statistics on the total energy recovery from waste in Sweden.

There is residue from combustion. Slag from the furnace makes up 15-20 percent by weight of the amount of input waste, and flue gas treat-ment residues make up 3-5 percent by weight. Slag consists of materials that are not combus-tible or do not evaporate during combustion, also known as inert materials. Examples of such materials are glass, porcelain, iron scrap, gravel, and more.

Once larger objects and metal residues have been sorted out, the material is sifted and stabi-lized to form granulated slag. This is mainly used as a construction material in landfill sites but it would be beneficial to be able to use it instead of sand and gravel from natural deposits in road construction for example. Sand and gravel from natural deposits are a finite resource that should be reserved for appropriate areas of application.

Avfall Sverige and its members actively strive to ensure that granulated slag used outside of the plants does not jeopardize people or the environment in any way.

Flue gas treatment residues is the collective term for a fine-grain fraction that is created dur-ing treatment of flue gas. The fraction consists of fly ash, filter cake from hose filters, and sludge from wet flue gas treatment. After they are stabi-lized, flue gas treatment residues are either transported to landfill or used as a neutralization agent when refilling mines and pits.

There are 33 incineration plants for household waste in Sweden, and this is expanding.

According to a study by Avfall Sverige, the capacity for energy recovery in Sweden is greater than the domestic availability of combustible waste.

Recovery methods

According to the EU Framework Directive on Waste and the Swedish Waste Ordinance, waste incineration with efficient energy recovery is regarded as recycling. Swedish plants fulfil the energy efficiency criterion (R1 formula) by good margin.

Energy recovery is a hygienic and environmen-tally sound treatment method for waste that can-not or should not be treated in any other manner.

2 2.961 MWh/tonne as the weighted average of the number of tonnes of waste

26


ENERGY RECOVERY 2011-2015

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Incineration (tonnes)Household waste 2,235,720 2,270,650 2,235,930 2,148,640 2,284,210Other waste 2,671,760 2,771,370 3,043,160 3,549,040 3,491,190

Total 4,907,480 5,042,020 5,279,090 5,697,680 5,775,400

Production (MWh) Heating 12,798,018 13,031,240 13,762,940 14,558,030 14,702,670Electricity 1,872,204 1,703,350 1,786,910 2,032,040 2,304,610

Total 14,670,222 14,734,590 15,549,850 16,590,070 17,007,280

Slag, bottom ash (tonnes) 879,640 850,120 902,760 953,770 967,700RGR, fly ash (tonnes) 256,880 226,840 241,600 250,580 265,080

-85 -91 -15 -10 -05 -00-95

tonnes

Total amount of waste to energy recovery

Of which household waste

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

-91-85 -15-10-00 -05-95

MWh

Total energy production (electricity and heat)

Of which heat

0

5,000,000

10,000,000

15,000,000

20,000,000

WASTE TO ENERGY RECOVERY 1985-2015 ENERGY PRODUCTION FROM WASTE 1985-2015

Source: Avfall Web

27


Stegeholmsverket, Västervik Miljö & Energi

28


Waste treatment plants with

landfillsIn 2015, 38,300 tonnes of household waste were sent to landfill. This is an increase of 16 percent compared to 2014. Per capita this is 4 kg. 0.8 percent of household waste was sent to landfill in 2015.

In 2015, waste treatment plants that handle municipal waste sent a total of 1,662,200 tonnes to landfill, an increase of 230,000 tonnes compared to the previous year. However, at indi-vidual plants the total amounts of waste going to landfill can vary significantly from year to year, depending on a varying need to send contami-nated excavated soil and ashes to landfill. In 2015, household waste was sent to landfill at 47 waste management plants.

Landfill is the method used for waste that cannot be treated in any other way, for example crushed tiles, porcelain, ceramics and window glass.

Landfill is only a small part of the operation at a modern waste treatment plant. Most waste treatment plants also sort waste materials for transport to reuse and recycling and for energy recovery. Sometimes landfill sites also serve as temporary storage for waste fuel and waste that falls under producer responsibility, such as paper and glass. Plants often also treat biodegradable waste and contaminated excavated material.

When a landfill is full, it is covered with materi-al (often in multiple layers) to, inter alia, prevent rainfall from penetrating. An intermediate barrier layer is laid between the layers of waste and a thicker capping layer is laid on top, sometimes topped off with the planting of vegetation.

Landfills are also built with a bottom barrier layer to make it possible to collect and purify leachate.

Closed landfill sites must be capped. Together these landfills cover an estimated area of 25 km2, and the estimated total cost for capping is approximately SEK 6 billion. Approximately 6-8 million tonnes of material is needed annually for the capping of landfills. Today, materials such as slag, sludge, ash and contaminated soil are used in the various capping layers.

Most of the landfill sites closed due to stricter regulations, introduced in 2008, will be capped by 2030.

Landfill gas and leachate

Landfill gas is the term used for the gas pro-duced at a landfill where organic waste was deposited in the past. The gas is approximately 50 percent methane. The rest is carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and small amounts of other gases. Since it contains methane, it must be collected to reduce its environmental impact.

Since the ban on organic waste going to land-fill was introduced, the formation of gas at land-fill sites has progressively decreased.

In 2015, approximately 190 GWh of landfill gas was collected in total at 58 waste treatment plants, of which 137 GWh was used for energy. Energy recovery consisted of 18 GWh as electric-ity, 1 GWh as vehicle gas and 118 GWh as heat-ing. In all, 53 GWh of landfill gas was flared. Flaring does not produce energy but reduces methane emissions. Waste is still sent to landfill at 41 plants with gas recovery.

29


Energiutvinning på deponier (MWh) 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Useful energy 237,400 205,900 193,800 175,300 137,100of which electrical energy* 16,000 10,500 12,600 17,600 17,800Flaring 32,200 49,300 50,800 46,600 53,300

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Quantity sent to landfill 1,515,500 1,555,300 1,391,900 1,432,200 1,662,200of which household waste 38,200 32,600 33,300 32,900 38,300

* Other energy is used for heating

Source: Avfall Web

Avfall Sverige’s landfill statistics do not provide a complete picture of landfill in Sweden. Initially, the idea was to keep statistics of plants that accepted household waste. Many of these plants have stopped accepting household waste. There is some uncertainty about the figures for household waste as it is not always possible to distinguish flows of household waste from other waste.

AMOUNTS OF WASTE SENT TO LANDFILL 2011-2015 (TONNES)

ENERGY RECOVERY AT LANDFILL SITES 2011-2015 (MWH)

AMOUNTS OF WASTE SENT TO LANDFILL 1994-2015Leachate is defined as the liquid – usually rainwater – which has been in contact with the landfill material and flows out of or is retained in a landfill. In 2015, approximately 9.3 million cubic metres of leachate was handled at 95 waste treatment plants. This includes contami-nated surface water from operational areas. All of the water is handled in the same treatment process. Waste is still sent to landfill at 58 plants with leachate treatment.

Less than half of the plants report that leachate is diverted to municipal wastewater treatment plants after various degrees of local treatment. Other plants report that leachate is treated locally before being released to recipients. Gas and leachate is still being collected from closed landfill sites.

-15-94 -00 -05 -100

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

8,000,000tonnes

Landfill quantities in totalof which household waste

30


Customers, charges and

costsMunicipalities and producers handle the man-agement of household waste. The cost to munici-palities is recouped through a waste collection charge, set by the municipal council.

Producers’ costs are recouped through a charge on the product. The producers determine what this charge should be themselves.

As a rule, the waste collection charge covers the total cost of municipal waste management, but any deficits that occur may be funded through taxation. Administration, such as waste planning, customer service, invoicing and infor-mation are included in the costs. In addition, the charge must cover the cost of service at recy-cling centres, such as receiving bulky waste and hazardous household waste.

The charge is often based on a fixed and a variable fee, for example one fee for waste col-lection and one for waste treatment. According to the prime cost principle in the Local Government Act, the municipalities’ revenue from the waste collection charge may not exceed their costs for waste management.

Average charge

The average annual waste collection charge for a Swedish household in a single-family detached home is SEK 2,035 according to data from Avfall Sverige’s statistics system Avfall Web. Households in apartment blocks pay an average of SEK 1,305, and the average fee for second homes is SEK 1,167 annually.

Many municipalities that introduced the volun-tary collection of food waste use the charge as an incentive. One example of this is that house-holds that separate food waste pay a lower charge than those that choose to leave mixed waste for collection.

To achieve a higher recycling rate for waste, several municipalities have introduced a weight-based charge, where households pay an addi-tional rate per kilo of waste collected on top of the basic charge. In such cases, collection vehi-cles are equipped with a scale and equipment to identify each individual bin. The total annual cost for weight-based charges varies depending on the quantity of waste left for collection. The charge varies between SEK 0.90 and SEK 3.75 per kg for residual waste and SEK 0 to SEK 3.69 for a food waste container, combined with vari-ous types of bin charges and the fixed basic charge. As of 2015, 30 municipalities have intro-duced a weight-based rate.

Some municipalities with food waste collection have lower weight charges for food waste; in some municipalities it is free.

The total cost for waste management to municipalities is on average SEK 769 per person each year, excluding VAT. The municipal cost for collecting food and residual waste is on average SEK 260 per person each year. Treatment of the waste is not included in this cost. The annual basic cost averages SEK 334 per person. The

31


350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0-10 -11 -12 -13 -15-14

Basic costs such as service and administrationCollecting waste in bins and bagsTreatment, including long distance transportOther costs

1,000

900

800

700

600

500

400-10 -11 -12 -13 -14 -15

LandfillComposting, food wasteAnaerobic digestion, food wasteEnergy recovery, residual waste

annual basic cost covers factors such as the cost of recycling centres, the treatment of hazardous household waste, planning, information and administration.

There are several national and local mecha-nisms in place to reduce the environmental impact of waste management, improve resource efficiency and increase recovery. These can be information or administrative and financial instruments.

Examples of administrative instruments include regulations and prohibitions, such as limits to emissions and prohibiting sending organic waste to landfill. Financial instruments can either be an incentive, for example tax relief and subsidies, or a penalty, for example taxes and charges. One basic principle is that the polluter should pay.

Tax on waste sent to landfill was introduced in 2000 as a way to reduce landfill. The tax was ini-tially SEK 250 per tonne, but has since been raised several times. Since 1 January 2015, the landfill tax has been set at SEK 500 per tonne of waste. The landfill site operator is liable for the tax.

Municipalities often pay a charge to get their waste treated. Treatment charges can vary great-ly. The charge for energy recovery from residual waste has increased somewhat compared to 2014. The charge for anaerobic digestion is unchanged, while the charge for composting has decreased. The charge for landfill continues to increase.

SEK/tonne Anaerobic digestion Composting Energy Landfill of food waste of food waste recovery

Average 515 610 475 900Interval 350-700 420-780 370-640 560-1260

Source: Avfall WebThe treatment fee refers to the median in Avfall Web. The interval shows the normal distribution of waste treatment charges. The charges for composting and anaerobic digestion regard food waste. The charges for energy recovery regard residual waste (previously referred to as combustible waste in bins and bags).

COST OF WASTE MANAGEMENT PER PERSON SEK EXCL. VAT 2010-2015

TREATMENT CHARGES FOR HOUSEHOLD WASTE SEK EXCL. VAT 2015

TREATMENT CHARGES SEK/TONNE EXCL. VAT 2010-2015

The statistics are provided by Avfall Web and are based on data from about a third of Sweden’s municipalities.

Source: Avfall Web

32


Non-household waste

Businesses are responsible for managing their own non-household waste. Some businesses have their own landfill sites at their disposal or can recover energy from waste in their own incin-eration plants.

Construction and demolition waste is waste from construction, renovation, rebuilding or dem-olition of buildings, or from more extensive con-struction work in gardens. The municipality is not responsible for collecting or handling such waste.

However, waste from minor maintenance work and house repairs counts as household waste. Some construction and demolition waste is clas-sified as hazardous waste, for example asbestos and impregnated timber, and must be handled accordingly.

According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s calculations, one-third of all waste and one-fourth of all hazardous waste pro-duced in Sweden is generated by the construc-tion sector. Construction and demolition waste is

therefore prioritized in the national waste plan and in the waste prevention programme.

Mining waste amounts to almost 140 million tonnes, which is 83 percent of the total waste generated in Sweden each year. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Geological Survey of Sweden have therefore been tasked by the Government to develop a long-term strategy for mining waste management.

Collected data on non-household waste can be found in the official statistics reported to the EU by Sweden through the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

According to the EU’s Waste Statistics Directive, each member state must report its country’s statistics once every two years. The lat-est statistics relate to waste quantities for 2014. Sweden produced 167 million tonnes of waste that year, of which 4.2 million tonnes was house-hold waste. The entire EU generates approxi-mately 2.5 billion tons of waste each year.

Total waste generated in Sweden in 2014, excluding mining waste, reported for various industries. The industries that generate the least amount of waste are reported under Other industries.

Construction workWaste management and wholesale trade in scrap

Household sectorService producers

Energy supplyPaper and paper product manufacturing

Metal and metal productsFood product production

Engineering industryAgriculture, forestry and fishing

Other industries

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 987Millions of tonnes

33


About Avfall Sverige

taking action to minimise waste, promote reuse, and ensure that the waste that is produced is recycled, recovered and managed in the optimal manner. The municipalities and their enterprises are the ambassadors, catalysts and guarantors of this change.

Avfall Sverige represents its members, which are made up of municipalities, local government

associations, municipal enterprises and munici-pally-owned regional waste and recycling enter-prises. Our members represent the entire popu-lation of Sweden. The Association also includes about a hundred associate members: manufac-turers, consultants and contractors active in waste management.

Office

WEINE WIQVIST, MANAGING DIRECTORDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 05Mobile: +46 (0)708 93 15 [email protected]

JESSICA CHRISTIANSENDirector of Training and Operations DeveloperDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 18Mobile: +46 (0)706 69 36 [email protected]

JOHAN FAGERQVISTTechnical Adviser Waste Treatment PlantsDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 24Mobile: +46 (0)706 35 69 [email protected]

AYLIN FARID*Technical Adviser Public AffairsMobile: +46 (0)720 62 40 [email protected]

ANNA-CARIN GRIPWALLDirector of CommunicationDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 08Mobile: +46 (0)706 62 61 [email protected]

KARIN JÖNSSONEditor of Avfall och Miljö, www.sopor.nuDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 [email protected]

PETRA KVIST CARLSSONCourse CoordinatorDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 [email protected]

ÅSA LINDSKOGTechnical Adviser Waste Prevention and ReuseMobile: +46 (0)705 53 15 [email protected]

SVEN LUNDGRENLegal AdvisorDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 09Mobile: +46 (0)708 35 66 [email protected]

BRITTA MOUTAKISTechnical Adviser Hazardous Waste, Recycling Centres and collection of source-separated food wasteResponsible for the network Avfall Sverige Yngre (youth network)Direct line: +46 (0)40 35 66 14Mobile: +46 (0)703 58 66 [email protected]

JON NILSSON-DJERF*Technical Adviser Logistics and CollectionMobile: +46 (0)705 26 35 [email protected]

PER NILZÉNHead of DevelopmentDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 13Mobile: +46 (0)705 23 24 [email protected]

JAKOB SAHLÉNTechnical Adviser Waste-to-EnergyDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 16Mobile: +46 (0)705 08 66 [email protected]

CAROLINE STEINWIG (Parental leave)KLAS SVENSSON (Temporary replacement)Technical Adviser Biological RecyclingDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 23Mobile: +46 (0)72 066 23 [email protected]

INGEGERD SVANTESSONPublic Relations Officer, WebmasterDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 07Mobile: +46 (0)705 35 66 [email protected]

PERNILLA SVENSSONCourse AdministratorDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 [email protected]

MARIE UMARKFinance Assistant, Membership Register and SubscriptionsDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 [email protected]

JENNY WESTINTechnical Adviser Statistics, Procurement and Waste FeesDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 15Mobile: +46 (0)705 18 40 [email protected]

PETER WESTLINGAdministrative SupervisorDirect line: +46 (0)40 35 66 [email protected]

* Located at Avfall Sverige’s representation office in Stockholm

Avfall Sverige (the Swedish Waste Management Association) is the municipalities’ branch organi-sation in waste management and recycling. Avfall Sverige’s members ensure that waste is collect-ed and recycled in all Swedish municipalities. We perform our work on behalf of society in an environmentally sound, sustainable and long-term manner. Our vision is “Zero Waste”. We are

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©Avfall Sverige AB

Adress

Telefon

E-post

Hemsida

Baltzarsgatan 25, SE 211 36 Malmö

+46 (0) 40-35 66 00

[email protected]

www.avfallsverige.se

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