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Waste Statistics 1999

5. Imports and exports of waste

Table 12 shows amounts of waste imported in 1998 and 1999 distributed on waste fractions and treatment options. Amounts of waste imported in 1998 and 1999 are almost identical – there has been a minor increase of approximately 19,000 tonnes.

Amounts of waste imported in 1999 correspond to 4 per cent of total waste generation in Denmark.

Table 12 Look here!

85 per cent of imported waste is categorised as green waste for recovery according to the EU Regulation on shipments of waste, and it covers primarily glass, paper and cardboard, plastic, ferrous metals, as well as organic waste. Waste imported is destined for recycling or incineration with energy recovery.

The remaining 15 per cent of waste imported is listed on the OECD amber and red lists and is subject to mandatory notification under the EU Regulation on shipments of waste, cf. Table 13. Waste of this type is destined for disposal or recovery¹⁰.

The distribution of imported waste on green waste and red and amber waste has changed from 1998, when 92 per cent of waste was green, whereas 8 per cent was subject to mandatory notification (red or amber).

Table 13 shows amounts of waste exported from Denmark in 1998 and 1999. It is seen that amounts exported account for some 9 per cent of total waste generation in Denmark.

In 1999 1,124,297 tonnes of waste were exported which is around 78,500 tonnes or 7 per cent less than in 1998. This decrease is mainly due to a decrease in exports of "other burnable" and "ferrous metals", whereas there was an increase in exports of, for example, paper and cardboard, glass and flue gas cleaning products from waste incineration plants.

Table 13 Look here!

Around 73 per cent of waste exported from Denmark in 1999 belong to the category green waste for recovery and concern mainly the fractions "paper and cardboard" and "ferrous metals" which alone account for 70 per cent of exports.

Table 14 shows countries of export and import of waste subject to mandatory notification.

The table shows that Denmark imported in 1999 around 9,700 tonnes of waste for disposal, which is 1,000 tonnes more than in 1998. Most waste originated from Ireland and Norway and consisted mainly of chemical waste and other hazardous waste.

In 1999 around 76,000 tonnes of waste were imported for recovery, mainly from Norway, Sweden and Germany. This is more than a doubling compared to 1998, when 36,000 tonnes were imported. Amounts imported from Germany are more or less identical, whereas there has been a considerable increase in amounts from Norway and Sweden. Waste in this context is especially slag from iron manufacture, chemical and oil waste.

Waste exported from Denmark for recovery in 1999 amounted to just below 96,000 tonnes, which is around 3,000 tonnes less than in 1998. Waste was primarily exported to Spain, Sweden and Germany and covered residues from ferrous metal manufacture, batteries and household waste.

In 1999 just below 57,000 tonnes of waste were exported for disposal, which is almost 20,000 tonnes more than in 1998. Waste was exported to Norway and Germany and covered residues from incineration of household waste and waste mercury.

Table 14.
Imports and exports in 1999 of waste subject to mandatory notification. Stated in tonnes.

Continues overleaf.

Continues overleaf.

Sources: Danish Environmental Protection Agency, database of shipments. The registration is made on the background of completed consignment notes under EU Regulation 259/93 on shipments of waste. The consignee must send a copy of the filled-in consignment note to the competent authorities within three working days after receipt of the waste. OECD-codes are defined in Commission Decision of 21^st October 1994 (no. L 288/36, Official Journal of the European Communities of 9^th November 1994).

¹⁰ Disposal means either landfilling or incineration without energy recovery. Recovery is either recycling or incineration with energy recovery.

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