Statistik for behandling af organisk affald fra husholdninger - Revideret udgave

Summary

"Statistics on compost for 1999" shows the amount of organic waste received at compost plants and biogas plants. The processed amount of waste, the production, stock and sale of compost, and price and quality of the processed compost are examined.

The statistics were prepared on the basis of reports from 134 composting plants as well as 5 biogas plants. Only biogas plants processing organic refuse are included. At the composting plants the real composting will take place – plants that merely receive and chip garden waste and park waste are not included in the statistics.

Consequently, the statistics do not give any information about the total amount of garden waste and park waste collected in Denmark. Neither do the statistics show the amount of organic waste processed at Danish biogas plants – only plants processing organic refuse are dealt with.

The following summarizes the major statistical findings.

The 139 plants have since 1998 increased by 9. In general the plants received and processed more waste than in 1998. 69 per cent of capacity was utilised.

In 1999 the plants received a total of 1,042,000 tons of organic waste. This is an increase of 15 per cent compared to 1998. The increased amount of waste partly originates from garden waste and park waste (+19 per cent), partly from sludge from purification plants (+40 per cent). The received waste can be classified as:

Organic refuse
37.000 tons
Garden- and park waste
615.000 tons
Sludge from purification plants
77.000 tons
Domestic animal manure for biogas
254.000 tons
Other organic waste
59.000 tons

The composting plants produced 388,000 tons of compost in 1999. This is an increase of 34 per cent compared to 1998. The amount of compost that left the plants amounted to 370,000 tons which is an increase of 100,000 tons or 38 per cent compared to the previous year.

43 per cent of the compost is used in private gardens. This is still the most common use for compost. However, the percentage of compost being used in private gardens has been declining during the past years. 14 per cent is used for covering landfills, 13 per cent on green areas, 12 per cent in agriculture, 8 per cent in nurseries and a minor part in woods and other areas.

The stock of ready-made compost rose by 28,000 tons to a total of 265,000 tons.

The price of compost remained fairly steady during the recent years. The average sales price for compost made from pure garden waste and park waste, is about DKK 60-65 per ton. The price of compost from one plant to another can vary substantially.

More than one third of the composting plants give out free compost.

The analytical findings show that the content of heavy metals complies with the existing maximum allowable values for 1999.

Existing and future cut-off values for environmentally foreign substances found in compost are observed.