In 1993 ISAG (Information System for Waste and Recycling) was used for the first time. The results of the fourth ISAG-reports for the year 1996 are presented in this publication.

The general picture for 1996 shows that:

• There has been an extraordinary big increase in waste quantities, but the increase is closely linked to a large activity at the coal-fired power stations and in the building and construction industry.
• The overall targets for waste treatment according to the Government’s plan for waste year 2000 are satisfied despite the increasing waste quantities.
• The recycling of domestic waste from households and waste from institutions, trade and offices is considerably lower than the forecast for the year 2000. Furthermore, the amount of waste from manufacturing, institutions, trade and offices that is landfilled, is still too big.

Waste production in 1996 amounted to 12,912,000 tonnes. In comparison with 1995 this is a gross increase of 12.6% corresponding to 1,446,000 tonnes. The net increase amounts to 1,190,000 tonnes corresponding to a good 10%, as 23 enterprises should have reported to ISAG in 1995, but were not included until 1996. These enterprises have reported for 1996 some 260,000 tonnes of mainly building and construction waste.

The large gross increase, however, conceals some very big variations and is primarily due to a waste increase within two sectors. Firstly, in 1996 there was an important increase of 633,000 tonnes in the production of residual products from coal-fired power stations. The increase is first and foremost due to the fact that the coal-fired power stations in 1996 had an important export of electricity to Norway and Sweden. Secondly, in 1996 there was a large increase of 527,000 tonnes of building and construction waste. However, some 240,000 tonnes of this increase are not actual as they relate to plants that should have been included in the 1995 ISAG-report.

Furthermore, in 1996 an additional amount of around 75,000 tonnes of garden waste was registered.

On the other hand, the increase within other sectors is modest. Thus, waste from manufacturing, institutions, trade and offices as well as domestic waste and bulky waste from households have only increased by between 1% and 3%.

The total recycling in 1996 was 60% compared to 62% in 1995. The percentage for incineration was 19% compared to 20% in 1995. Landfilling increased from 17% in 1995 to 20% in 1996. Special treatment constituted 1%.

The increase in landfilling is primarily due to an extraordinary large increase in the landfilling of residual products from coal-fired power stations. If these residues are ignored and only the remaining part of the waste is considered, the recycling rate increased from 56% in 1995 to 58% in 1996. Landfilling dropped from 19% to 17% and incineration remained unchanged at 24%.

These are the main conclusions from the ISAG-reports in 1996. Below, the waste trends are studied in more detail. The ISAG-report for 1996 covers 489 waste treatment plants distributed on 320 enterprises, whereas the ISAG-reports for 1995 covered 470 plants at 301 enterprises.

Waste Statistics 1996 is a translation of "Orientering fra Miljøstyrelsen, nr. 13, 1997 - Affaldsstatistik 1996". Waste Statistics 1996, however, does not include an appendix of 20 pages listing name, address, mode of treatment, received waste fractions etc. of the waste treatment plants that have reported to ISAG in 1996.