| Front page | | Contents | | Previous | | Next |

Cleaner Technology Projects in Denmark 1996

Test of Glass Collection by Colour Separation

The aim of the tests in the present project is to increase the re-cycling of collected glass from the present 60-65% to 80%. The project is designed to optimise the collection of glass and the colour sorting in a span of four years.

In April 1994, a one-year long test with colour-separated container collection of glass was launched. The test includes 10 local authorities east of the Great Belt, in total 140,000 households. The local authorities are:

	Holbæk and Nykøbing-Rørvig
	Ølstykke, Stenløse and Hundested
	Frederiksberg and Copenhagen
	Ballerup and Herlev

Concurrently with the project, an information campaign about colour sorting in the respective local authorities was launched.

The project contains a summarised evaluation of the results of the project, a general conclusion and recommendations for the implementation of the system on national basis. The appendix illustrates the technical part of the project.

The summary of test results describes how the evolution of the collected volume of glass was affected. Subsequently, the factors that influence the volume of collected glass are discussed. Wrong sorting and the reasons for it are also discussed. Finally, suggestions to how the results from the ten local authorities can be used for the implementation of colour separation on a national basis are listed.

The economic consequences of the tests are evaluated. The following factors are evaluated:

	Expenses for collection and transportation in connection with the glass collection
	Expenses for information
	Settling prices
	Depreciation and maintenance of containers
	Costs in connection with collection of transparent glass

On the basis of these registrations, a calculation example of the economic consequences of colour sorting on a national basis is made.

The present and future co-operation relation between the local authorities and the re-cycling industry is estimated on the basis of the daily operation system. The estimation is realised for the local authorities of the test and on national basis, in case a national colour-sorting system should be implemented.

The results of the test are presented below:

	All local authorities of the test have had an increase in the volume of collected glass in the test period compared to the year before.
	On average 10% more glass has been collected compared to the year before.
	The quality of the collected glass has been varying. The best results have been achieved in places where containers with different colours were set up.
	It does not seem to be possible to minimise the wrong sorting.
	All container stations should have containers for both coloured and transparent glass. Containers should be placed where they are easily accessible and where there are many people.
	Colour sorting will increase the costs, which derive from the collection of glass.
	The information campaign did not prove satisfactory.

The final result of the test is a suggestion to implement colour sorting on a national basis, including prerequisites, efficiency, quality, choice of container, pre-sorting, economic consequences, total additional costs, balance sheet, marginal costs, and information.

Furthermore, four different colour-sorting systems, which can increase the collection of glass to the desired 80%, are evaluated.

Finally, a number of considerations in connection with the implementation of the colour sorting systems on national basis are discussed.

Author/ institution

Kim Røgen og Anita Dahl Hansen, Carl Bro A/S

This report is subsidised by the National Council for Recycling and Cleaner Technology

ISSN no. 0105-3094
ISBN no. 87-7810-667-2

| Front page | | Contents | | Previous | | Next | | Top |