Danish Environmental Protection Agency Ministry of Environment and Energy, Denmark Danish Environmental Protection Agency
Danish Environmental Protection Agency Ministry of Environment and Energy, Denmark Danish Environmental Protection Agency
Contents 3 A public-sector task 4 The Danish waste model 6 Challenges ahead 8 Waste sectors and fractions 10 Waste from the building and construction sector 12 Packaging waste 14 Waste from households 16 Waste from industry 18 Waste from institutions, trade and offices 20 Waste from power, treatment and incineration plants 22
Waste is a problem for the environment. But often, waste is also a resource which should be utilised in an environmentally efficient way. Denmark, with a number of other EU Member States, has come far in the area of waste management. At one point, Denmark has chosen another path than other European countries: we exploit much of the energy in waste through incineration. Denmark has a well-functioning system ensuring environmentally acceptable handling of all waste types. But we can do better. The challenge of the future is to exploit resources in waste even better and to reduce environmental impacts. Further, the quality of waste treatment must be improved. This brochure describes the Danish waste management model and presents Waste 21 the Government's Waste Management Plan for the period 1998 to 2004. Waste 21 sets the agenda of future waste management in Denmark and launches a number of new initiatives that will ensure even better and more efficient waste management than we have today. 3
A public-sector task In Denmark, we generate just under 13 million tons of waste every year. It is a public-sector task to ensure that collection and treatment is handled properly and that the rate of recycling is as high as possible. Danish waste policy comprises both prevention and handling of waste. The overall authority in waste matters is the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. Local and regional councils are in charge of the practical administration of waste management. Waste management is planned in detail. All local councils are under the obligation to survey waste amounts and to draw up waste management plans. Also, it is the responsibility of local and regional councils that sufficient incineration and landfill capacity is available. Another aim is to recycle as much waste as possible. Today, some 60 per cent of all waste is recycled. In Denmark, the waste hierarchy is the basis for our prioritisation of waste management options. According to this hierarchy, recycling ranks higher than incineration with energy recovery, and landfilling ranks lowest. Recycling is the highest ranking waste treatment form it ensures better exploitation of resources in waste. In Denmark incineration does not count as recycling. Waste hierarchy The most important objective of our waste management policy is to reduce waste amounts. Prevention has top priority. By environmental management and cleaner technology it is possible to reduce the generation of waste, for example by taking waste treatment into consideration already at the design of products and by using less environmentally harmful products. This is in line with the integrated product policy of the Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy, aiming at limiting resource consumption and environmental impact for all products "from cradle-tograve". Facts about Denmark Area: 43,000 sq.km. Inhabitants: 5.3 million Municipalities: 275 Waste companies: 35 Counties: 14 Households: 2.4 million VAT-registered enterprises: approx. 413,000 GNP: DKK 981 billion ECU 126.6 billion Per capita GNP: DKK 185,584 4 Residuos en Dinamarca
Waste is incinerated when it cannot be recycled, and when residues from incineration do not cause environmental problems. Energy is recovered for generation of electricity and heating. Landfilling is the lowest ranking treatment form it does not exploit resources in waste. Also, landfilling may lead to atmospheric pollution and to soil and groundwater contamination. In Denmark, landfilling of waste suitable for incineration has now been banned. Recycling Incineration In the waste hierarchy, recycling ranks highest, second is incineration with energy recovery, and last, landfilling Landfilling 5
The Danish waste model Waste is separated in containers at the recycling centres In Denmark we have a close interplay between EU regulation and national regulations on waste. EU regulations lay down overall frameworks and principles, whereas the Danish Folketing decides on organisation and legislation in the area of waste. In Denmark in contrast to many other countries we have chosen to manage household waste and industrial and commercial waste in a comprehensive waste management system, covering both packaging waste and hazardous waste. Source separation The principle of source separation is a key element of the Danish model. For some types of waste, e.g. paper, cardboard and glass, we have collection systems with source separation. These schemes enjoy widespread acceptance and are used extensively by citizens and enterprises. Organisation The practical organisation of waste management is different from one municipality to another. Large municipalities typically choose to manage waste themselves, whereas most small municipalities cooperate in intermunicipal waste companies. Further, private companies have been established to operate mainly within collection of household waste and industrial and commercial waste, as well as recycling. A network of intermunicipal transfer stations has been set up for the management of hazardous waste, servicing most municipalities in Denmark. A few municipalities handle hazardous waste themselves. Policy instruments The Danish waste model is based on a combination of traditional administrative instruments (acts, orders, circulars), and various economic instruments covering taxes and charges as well as subsidy schemes and agreements. 6
In Denmark, we have a general state tax on waste. The waste tax is differentiated so that it is most expensive to landfill waste, cheaper to incinerate it and tax exempt to recycle it. Also, we have so-called "green" taxes on for example packaging, plastic bags, disposable tableware and nickel-cadmium batteries. Also agreements are used as an instrument to meet environmental targets in the waste area. One example is an agreement with the Danish Contractors' Association on selective demolition of building materials; another example is an agreement with municipal councils on CFC-containing refrigerators. In addition, deposit and return systems have been established for a number of packaging types. For example, packages for beer and carbonated soft drinks must be covered by a deposit and return system. The deposit and return system for beer and soft drinks means that we prevent management of some 390,000 tons of waste every year, corresponding to around 20 per cent of the total amount of domestic waste from households. Municipal councils may charge fees to finance their waste management. Also, for certain types of products such as tyres and lead accumulators special fees are charged to finance collection and recycling. State subsidy schemes have been established for projects on cleaner technology aiming at a reduction of environmental impacts from products in a life cycle perspective. Subsidies may also be granted to projects that aim at solving waste problems by, for example, developing new forms of treatment. Policy Instruments: In Denmark, the waste area is regulated by both administrative and economic instruments: Acts Orders Circulars Taxes Agreements Charges Subsidies Deposit-return 7
Challenges ahead Waste 21, the Government's plan for the Danish waste policy up to year 2004, envisages a change of focus resulting in an environmental improvement of waste management in Denmark. Until today, focus has been on quantitative aspects of waste management: waste minimisation and increased recycling. From now on, focus will also be on qualitative targets: we want to increase the quality of waste treatment. This means less impact from environmental contaminants and better utilisation of resources in waste. Resources mean both energy resources used to generate raw materials and products, raw material resources making up waste, as well as energy that can be recovered, for example by waste incineration. Better quality in waste treatment is necessary to minimise spreading of environmental contaminants and optimise resource utilisation. Waste is prevented i.a. by changed techonology. Coal-based power plants generate large amounts of fly ash. windmills do not generate waste 8
Differentiation of waste One of the key principles of Waste 21 is to have more types of waste collected and treated separately and to develop new methods to treat waste. New methods of treatment must be adapted to the waste of the future. Waste 21 also makes new requirements to local councils who are responsible for waste management. They must be prepared to co-operate also across borders so that new waste solutions are developed in co-operation with enterprises and citizens. The list will be a useful tool in the development of cleaner technology and the substitution of environmental contaminants with less harmful substances. However, it will take time before the integrated product policy has an effect on waste. It will therefore be necessary, parallel to prevention efforts, to establish a modern waste treatment system. Prevention In Waste 21 prevention of waste is a key element. Overall waste volumes will be stabilized. Future waste policy pays special attention to xenobiotic substances. The Danish Environmental Protection Agency has drawn up a list of substances that are undesired in products, as they are harmful to human health and/or the environment. Waste policy challenges in the future: improved quality of waste treatment - reduced environmental impact - improved resource utilisation stabilization of waste amounts 9
Waste sectors and fractions Waste is categorised in many different ways. One way is to divide waste according to the sector generating it. The most important sectors, which are also the basis for the description of the Danish system, are: Building and construction sector Households Industry Institutions, trade and offices Power plants, wastewater treatment plants and incineration plants The different sectors generate specific types of waste, and collection systems have been adapted to sectors and their specific waste. Waste can also be divided into types or fractions. Examples of waste fractions are paper, cardboard, glass, plastic packaging, tyres and waste electrical and electronic equipment. The different waste types are characterised by specific substance features or qualities which favour separate treatment because of economic, resource and environmental aspects. Separate collection One of the main targets of Waste 21 is to exploit resources in waste better and to reduce environmental impacts. Several waste types that used to be incinerated or landfilled will therefore in future be collected and treated separately. breakdown by sources (1997) Such waste types are especially those containing substances that contaminate the environment, for example end-of-life vehicles, waste electrical and electronic equipment, and foundry waste. In parallel, new methods of treatment for these types of waste must be developed so that a larger part can be recycled. Bulding and construcion: 27% Housholds: 22% Industry: 21% Institutions, trade, offices: 7% Power plants: 13% Wastewater treatment plants: 10% Total waste: 12.9 million tonnes Waste 21 also envisages enhanced initiatives for some types of waste that traditionally have been collected and treated separately, for example paper, cardboard and glass waste. Now, a special effort will be made to increase recycling further. Below an account is given of new initiatives sector by sector and examples are presented of types of waste that will be in focus in future. Packaging waste is 10
Separate collection and treatment of waste electronic equipment described in a section of its own, as this waste type calls for special attention. Source separated waste fractions: Batteries End-of-life vehicles Waste electrical and electronic equipment Impregnated wood Organic waste Paper and cardboard PVC 11
Waste from the building and construction sector Around one quarter of Danish waste comes from building and construction activities corresponding to 3.4 million tons in 1997. Construction and demolition waste consists mainly of concrete, asphalt, stone and wood. Today, 8 per cent of construction and demolition waste is landfilled and 1 per cent is incinerated. Over the last 15 years, we have succeeded in reaching a high recycling rate for construction and demolition waste: 92 per cent. One instrument has been the introduction of a state tax on waste that is not recycled. Another has been an agreement with the Danish Contractors' Association on selective demolition of building materials. 3.4 million tons of waste are generated each year in the building and construction sector 12
Target year 2004: 90 per cent recycling Sorting and separate collection of environmentally harmful waste types Enhanced use of environmentally sound design New initiatives to be taken up to year 2004 for: Impregnated wood Environmentally sound design Residues and soil PVC Our aim is to maintain the high recycling rate in coming years. Special effort for pvc and wood Around one third of Denmark's PVC waste is generated in the building and construction sector, and amounts are rising. Up to year 2004 concentrated efforts will be made to solve environmental problems related to PVC. Alternatives to PVC-containing products and better treatment of PVC waste will be developed. Impregnated wood contains heavy metals. Therefore, incineration of such wood is problematic. The major part of impregnated wood is landfilled today. New and better treatment methods are being developed, allowing the utilisation of resources contained in impregnated wood. Very soon, impregnated wood will be collected and treated separately. "Cradle-to-grave" assessments and environmentally sound design will play a greater role in future. Both approaches take waste treatment into consideration already in the design of buildings. A special effort will be made for the types of construction and demolition waste that have the largest impact on the environment: PVC and impregnated wood. In future, separate treatment of these waste types will be mandatory. 13
Packaging waste Around 7 per cent of all waste is packaging waste. Packaging waste covers many different waste fractions such as glass, paper/cardboard and plastic, all containing recyclable materials. Our target is to recycle packaging waste as far as possible, instead of incinerating it. In contrast to many other countries, in Denmark we have chosen not to establish one separate management system for packaging waste. Our focus is on the best possible use of recyclable materials in packaging waste from different sectors. We expect to recycle around 45 per cent of all packaging waste in year 2001. Target year 2001: 55 per cent recycling of paper and cardboard packaging 15 per cent recycling of plastic packaging 25 per cent recycling of metal packaging 65 per cent recycling of glass packaging New initiatives up to year 2004 for: Glass Cardboard packaging Plastic bottles and drums The major part of non-recycled packaging waste is incinerated with energy recovery. The targets for recycling of packaging waste will be revised in year 2000. Transport packaging Transport packaging from trade and industry has our special attention. Considering environmental economics and working environment aspects, retail packaging of paper, cardboard, metal and plastic is thought to be less suitable for recycling. One reason is that such packaging is often composed of different materials. The recycling rate varies for different types of transport packaging. The highest rate is achieved for cardboard and paper packaging 66 per cent of this waste is recycled. This has been reached partly through a voluntary agreement on recycling of transport packaging made in 1994 between the Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Confederation of Danish Industries, the Danish Plastics Federation and the Packaging Industry. Household packaging Glass packaging from households is collected and recycled to a verry large extent. But we can do better. In future, glass collection from households will be improved by informing citizens of possibilities to recycle other packaging glass types than wine and spirits bottles. 14
Further, citizens will be able to deliver cardboard packaging for recycling, for example through bulky waste collection schemes. Another initiative for household packaging focuses on plastic bottles and drums. We will investigate how best to collect such plastic packaging from households. The Danish bottle deposit and return system prevents large amounts of waste 15
Waste from households In Denmark, we generate a total of around 2.8 million tons of household waste per year. This corresponds to a good 20 per cent of total waste generation. Domestic waste accounts for some 60 per cent of all household waste. Household waste covers domestic waste, bulky waste and garden waste. Some household waste is hazardous. Some types of household waste glass and paper are covered by collection schemes with source separation and recycling. Total recycling of household waste is around 28 per cent. Especially garden waste is recycled. Further, our bottle return system ensures a high packaging reuse rate. Domestic waste Domestic waste is recycled at a rate of 15 per cent, and the target in year 2004 is 30 per cent. This target will be met by focusing on increased separation and collection of glass, paper, cardboard packaging, plastic and organic domestic waste. Information to citizens plays a key role in our waste policy. For hazardous waste containing chemical substances for example batteries and medicine residues citizens will be better informed on waste management schemes. Likewise, an information campaign on durable products will encourage consumption to be more environment-friendly in the long term. Compost and biogas All garden waste and 40 to 45 per cent of domestic waste is organic material. Garden waste is composted with a recycling rate of almost 100 per cent. By contrast, organic domestic waste can be exploited better than today, where most of it is incinerated. Today, only 4 per cent of domestic waste is used in biogas plants. 16
We plan to carry out biogas plant tests in a number of municipalities. The target in year 2004 is to recycle organic waste corresponding to 7 per cent of total domestic waste. In a longer term perspective, the target is to recycle an amount corresponding to 20 to 25 per cent of total domestic waste. Bulky waste In recent years, recycling centres have been established in many municipalities. Here, householders can deliver their bulky waste for recycling. However, bulky waste from households must be exploited better than today, for example, by increased separation of a number of waste types, such as waste electrical and electronic equipment, impregnated wood, and PVC. Targets for domestic waste year 2004: 30 per cent recycling 70 per cent incineration Long term target: 40 to 50 per cent recycling of domestic waste New initiatives up to year 2004 for: Batteries Waste electrical and electronic equipment Hazardous waste Glass Impregnated wood and PVC Organic domestic waste Cardboard Paper Plastic packaging 17
Waste from industry Waste from industry makes up one fifth of total waste generation in Denmark. Prevention has top priority. In recent years, environmental management, green accounting and economic instruments such as taxes to regulate waste generation in enterprises have gained wider use. In Denmark, local councils are responsible for setting up industrial waste schemes. Often, collection is contracted to private companies. Today, we recycle just below 60 per cent of waste from industry, so the target for the year 2000 has already been met. But we can do better, and we have set up a new target of 65 per cent recycling in 2004. Around one quarter of waste from manufacturing industry 26 per cent is landfilled. This is too much. Therefore, in the coming years, we will make concentrated efforts to reduce amounts of waste for landfilling. The target is that only half as much waste as today 15 per cent shall be landfilled in 2004. New techniques Knowledge of the composition of waste and improved waste treatment are of major importance it saves money and resources. Enterprises must therefore pay more attention to waste generation from their operations. The Danish Environmental Protection Agency has selected some waste types to be in focus in coming years partly through separate schemes for different waste types and partly by the introduction of new techniques. Thanks to new treatment techniques, some types of waste can be shifted from landfilling to recycling. One such waste type is shredder waste, residues left over when for example cars and white goods are scrapped. Shredder waste has a high content of environmental contaminants, e.g. heavy metals and PCB. Today, 98 per cent of all shredder waste is landfilled, but through new treatment techniques recycling will reach a rate of 75 per cent. Target year 2004: 65 per cent recycling 20 per cent incineration 15 per cent landfilling Improved hazardous waste collection New initiatives up to year 2004 for: End-of-life vehicles Waste electrical and electronic equipment Hazardous waste Paper and cardboard PCB/PCT Plastic transport packaging Shredder waste Waste oil Foundry waste 18
Industrial waste includes waste electronic equipment which contains environmental contaminants 19
Waste from institutions, trade and offices Offices generate large amounts of paper waste which can become new paper products Around 7 per cent of waste in Denmark is generated in institutions, trade and offices corresponding to some 850,000 tons per year. This waste includes organic waste (food waste from catering centres), waste electrical and electronic equipment, tyres, paper, cardboard, glass and plastic. The recycling rate for this waste is not satisfactory. We must therefore make larger efforts in source separation, both to increase the rate of recycling and to ensure that environmentally harmful waste types are sorted and extracted. Also, the collection of recyclable materials must be improved. Enterprises and public and pri- vate institutions play an important role in this effort. Today, some 38 per cent of this waste is recycled. The aim is to reach a recycling rate of 50 per cent in 2004. More separation In future, we will require more separation of some types of waste, and more environmentally acceptable handling of this waste. Waste types in focus include end-of-life vehicles and waste electrical and electronic equipment. These stricter requirements will ensure better recycling of different materials, 20
for example metal and glass, preventing the delivery of such waste to incineration plants and landfills. Waste electrical and electronic equipment is one of the waste types in focus. Trade and offices deliver around one fifth of the amounts discarded in Denmark. This waste contains many environmental contaminants that today end up in residues from waste treatment and in landfills. Efforts will also be made to improve the collection of paper and cardboard from offices and institutions. Public and private institutions and enterprises have today an obligation to separate these types of waste for recycling. In future, municipal councils' responsibility for collection schemes for paper and cardboard will be extended. The trade sector generates large amounts of cardboard waste, which can be recycled Target year 2004: 50 per cent recycling 45 per cent incineration 5 per cent landfilling New initiatives to year 2004 for: Batteries End-of-life vehicles Tyres Waste electrical and electronic equipment Organic waste Paper and cardboard Plastic Waste oil 21
Waste from power, treatment and incineration plants Sludge from treatment plants can be used as fertilizer in agriculture One quarter around 24 per cent of Danish waste comes from wastewater treatment and energy generation. A total of around 3.0 million tons of waste is generated by this sector. From coal to biofuel Today's residues from power plants consist mainly of slag, fly ash and gypsum from coal-based energy generation. Around 73 per cent of residues are recycled and this rate will be maintained. According to the Government Energy Action Plan, coal will at longer sight be superseded by renewable energy and natural gas, including biofuel. Methods will therefore be developed to recycle bioash in an environment-friendly way. The target is to reach a high recycling rate, including the use of the ash as a fertiliser. 22
Sludge from wastewater treatment plants Wastewater treatment generates sludge with a large content of both fertilisers and energy. The major proportion of sludge is used as fertiliser in agriculture. The recycling rate for wastewater sludge is 72 per cent, 20 per cent is incinerated, and 8 per cent landfilled (1997 figures). In future, more stringent requirements will be introduced for sludge applied to farmland, and as a consequence the recycling rate is expected to drop at short sight. In return, the long term target is to improve the quality of sludge by developing methods for decomposition of xenobiotic substances. In 1997, 82 per cent of slag was recycled in building and construction works. In future, greater attention will be paid to environmental aspects related to slag recycling. Flue gas treatment waste is classified as hazardous waste, because it contains large amounts of heavy metals and other environmental contaminants. By leaching, these substances are a threat to our groundwater. Better methods will be developed for the stabilisation of this waste, and permanent landfills for stabilised flue gas treatment waste will be provided. Waste from incineration The incineration of waste generates residues: slag and flue gas treatment waste. In 1997 550,000 tons of residues were produced. The quality of these residues will improve as more environmentally harmful types of waste, such as PVC and impregnated wood, are treated separately. Target year 2004: 90 per cent recycling of residues from coal-fired power plants 50 per cent recycling of wastewater sludge on farmland 70 per cent recycling of residues from waste incineration plants 23
Published by: Ministry of Environment and Energy Danish Environmental Protection Agency Editors: Helle Husum, Lotte Wammen Rahbek, Lone Lykke Nielsen and Tina Wissendorff Seheim Text: Anne Tortzen Translation: Karen B. Kristensen Photos: Steen Månson (front page photo) Bent Lauge Madsen, Steen Månson, Imagebank Design: BYSTED A/S Print: Repro & Tryk A/S Available from: Miljøbutikken Information and Books Læderstræde 1 DK-1201 Copenhagen K Phone: (+45) 33 92 76 92 Fax: (+45) 33 92 76 90 E-mail: butik@mem.dk Internet: www.mem.dk/ukindex.htm For Further information, contact: Danish Environmental Protection Agency Strandgade 29 DK-1401 Copenhagen K Phone: (+45) 32 66 01 00 Fax: (+45) 32 66 04 79 E-mail: mst@mst.dk Internet: www.mst.dk/homepage/ No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission from the publisher. Quotations are authorized provided the source is acknowledged. Impression: 2,000, 1st issue Year of publication: 1999 This publication bears the Nordic Swan Ecolabel 24
Denmark Ministry of Environment and Energy, Denmark Danish Environmental Protection Agency Strandgade 29 DK-1401 Copenhagen K Phone (+45) 32 66 01 00 www.mst.dk/homepage/