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Waste Statistics 2002 1 Waste generation and treatment1.1 Waste generation 2002 and developments 2001-2002Waste generation in 2002 and developments in waste arisings from 2001 to 2002 are presented in Table 1. In 2002, Danish waste generation amounted to 13,105,000 tonnes. This corresponds to an increase of 3 per cent from the 2001 figure. Most of this increase stems from a 19 per cent increase in construction and demolition waste compared to 2001. This increase is for the most part due to a 636,000 tonnes increase in amounts of soil and stone because of the new plants reporting to the ISAG. The new reporters to the ISAG are 8 soil treatment plants, out of which only one plant reported about 45,000 tonnes soil and stone in 2001. This means that waste generation has fallen by 2 per cent compared to 2001. In addition, there has been an increase in amounts of waste from the service sector of 4 per cent [2] compared to the year before. Waste from households amounted to 3,121,000 tonnes in 2002. This means that waste generation has increased by 1 per cent compared to 2001. The five waste types under household waste show both decreases and increases. Domestic waste amounts remain almost unchanged from the previous year. As Table 1 shows, domestic waste arisings have increased by 2 per cent during the period 1994 – 2000, showing only very slight changes from year to year [3]. There has been a reduction in amounts of bulky waste of 4 per cent or 25,000 tonnes compared to 2001. Waste registered as "other" has fallen by 5 per cent - a total amount of 7,000 tonnes. Increases are apparent for the waste types garden waste and packaging waste, which have increased by 13 per cent and 10 per cent respectively or 59,000 tonnes and 10,000 tonnes. Amounts of separated packaging waste were reported to the ISAG for the first time in 2001. The total amount of packaging waste reported to the ISAG in 2002 is 200,933 tonnes. Of this amount, 117,000 tonnes have been registered as domestic waste generated by households in 2002. According to the Danish EPA packaging statistics [4] total packaging materials collected for recycling in Denmark amounted to 324,000 tonnes. The difference could be due to faulty registration in the ISAG, as the waste type packaging waste is new to the ISAG since 2001. Thus, there may be uncertainty as to whether the waste is to be registered as packaging waste or as another waste type. The generation of waste in the service sector amounted to 1,357,000 tonnes in 2002, which is 4 per cent more than in 2001 – in actual figures an increase of 50,000 tonnes. The increase is apparent in the following fractions: waste suitable for incineration, paper and cardboard, glass, and other. These fractions have increased by 9 per cent, 2 per cent, 2 per cent, and 13 per cent respectively compared to 2001. The fractions: waste not suitable for incineration, food waste/other organic waste, healthcare risk waste, and hazardous waste show reductions of 16 per cent, 18 per cent, 7 per cent, and 26 per cent respectively. The amounts of waste from industry [5] have fallen. For this source, amounts have fallen from 2,616,000 tonnes in 2001 to 2,311,000 tonnes in 2002 - a decrease of 305,000 tonnes, or 12 per cent. The fall is primarily due to reductions in the fractions: waste not suitable for incineration, paper and cardboard, food waste/other organic waste, ferrous metals, hazardous waste, and other. These fractions fell by 15 per cent, 15 per cent, 35 per cent, 18 per cent, 6 per cent, and 25 per cent respectively. In contrast, the fractions: waste suitable for incineration, plastic, and sludge have shown an increase of 3 per cent, 3 per cent, and 23 per cent per cent respectively. Industry experienced a fall in waste arisings of 11 per cent from 2000 to 2001; while the service sector saw a 17 per cent rise in waste generation. The shift between the two sectors may be due to faulty registration, as the source manufacturing etc. was discontinued from 2001 as a result of amendments to the Statutory Order on Waste. [6]. This means that waste from industry must be registered as originating from one of the 11 subgroups: food, beverages and tobacco; textiles, clothing and leather goods; wood-working and furniture; paper and graphical production; chemicals etc.; rubber and plastic; stone-working, pottery and glass; ferrous metals; other manufacturing; utilities; agriculture, forestry, fishery etc. It is likely that some carriers find it easier to register industry waste as service-sector waste. Incineration plants and landfills reporting to the ISAG are therefore encouraged to be aware of this possible source of incorrect registration. Throughout 2003 a number of training courses will be held for those reporting to the ISAG in order to e.g. clarify registration procedures. Changes in the industrial structure - the fact that society is changing from an industrial to a knowledge society - may be another reason for the shift between the two sectors. Whether the shift between the two sectors is due to this development will be examined more closely before the publication of Waste Statistics 2003. Generation of waste in the building and construction sector was larger in 2002 than in 2001 – construction and demolition waste thus reached 4,044,000 tonnes, which is 653,000 tonnes or 19 per cent more than in 2001. The increase is apparent in the fractions: soil and stone, and asphalt. These fractions increased by 111 per cent and 59 per cent respectively. In 2002, 693,000 more tonnes of soil and stone were registered. This increase is due to the fact that soil treatment plants have been added as reporters to the ISAG with the amendment of the Danish Statutory Order on Waste. In 2002, 8 soil treatment plants reported around 636,000 tonnes of soil and stone to the ISAG. Only one of the plants reported around 45,000 tonnes of soil and stone in 2001, and a large crushing plant previously and incorrectly registered a large part of its crushed waste as originating from secondary sources. This means that amounts have not been included in the statistics, since this would result in double registration. These waste amounts are now being registered correctly as originating from primary sources, which leads to an increase of 167,000 tonnes in total waste amounts from building and construction - an increase, which does not reflect an actual growth in waste arisings. By far the major part, or 92 per cent, of waste generated by the building and construction sector is recycled. There has been a 10 per cent reduction in amounts of sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plants: sludge amounted to 1,011,000 tonnes in 2002 [7], calculated at a dry matter content of 20 per cent. This is 112,000 tonnes less than in 2001. From 2001, sludge for mineralisation has been included with a dry matter content of 20 per cent. Thus sludge that is mineralised is incorporated into the statistics with the same dry matter content as the remaining sludge. In previous years dry matter content for sludge for mineralisation has been 1.5 per cent. Waste generation at coal-fired power plants increased by 1 per cent, which is an increase from 1,211,000 tonnes in 2001 to 1,228,000 tonnes in 2002. This is due to the fact that energy generation was larger in 2002 than in 2001. Denmark had net exports of electricity in 2002. During the period 1995-2000, waste arisings from coal-fired power plants fell. For the first time in this period Denmark had net imports of electricity in 2000. Another significant reason for the decrease in residues from coal-fired power plants is that energy is increasingly generated from other fuels than coal and coke [8]. 1.2 Treatment of waste in 2002In the following, developments in treatment of total waste arisings are presented. Waste treatment is compared to treatment targets in the Danish government's Waste Strategy 2005-2008. Table 2 shows that 8,382,000 tonnes, corresponding to 64 per cent of total waste arisings, were recycled in 2002. In actual figures this is an increase of 281,000 tonnes or an increase of 3 per cent compared to 2001. Waste incinerated in 2002 amounted to 3,344,000 tonnes. This is actually a 123,000 tonnes increase in amounts compared to the previous year, which as a proportion of total waste arisings is 26 per cent. Waste led to landfill in 2002 amounted to 1,194,000 tonnes, which is a decrease of 123,000 tonnes from 2001. The rate of landfilled waste amounts to 9 per cent of total arisings. The percentage proportion of waste led to landfill has fallen by 15 percentage points in the period 1994 to 2002, corresponding to a reduction in landfilled waste arisings of 1,419,000 tonnes. As the table shows, the relative distribution in recent years among treatment options has varied only little. Variations are often explained by developments in amounts of the different fractions. For example, variations in amounts of residues from coal-fired power plants and construction and demolition waste have large implications on the total rate of recycling, as these two waste types account for a large percentage of total waste arisings and typically have a rate of recycling of 90 per cent or more. In the Danish government's Waste Strategy 2005-2008 the target of stabilising Danish waste generation is supplemented by a number of qualitative elements such as better exploitation of resources in waste, better quality in treatment of waste, and limitation of problems caused by environmental contaminants in waste. In general, targets for different sectors and individual fractions will mean an increased rate of recycling and incineration. Overall waste treatment targets for 2008 in the government's Waste Strategy 2005-2008 are 65 per cent recycling, 26 per cent incineration, and a maximum of 9 per cent landfilling. As can be seen from Figure 1, the overall targets for treatment of waste in 2008 have almost been met in 2002. In 2002, one per cent of total waste arisings has been registered under the treatment option storage. Storage means temporary landfilling of waste suitable for incineration until incineration capacity is available. The recycling rate is one percentage point from the 2008 target, whereas the incineration rate has been surpassed by one percentage point, and the target for landfilling has been met. This is believed to be attributable to the ban on landfilling of waste suitable for incineration that came into effect on 1 January 1997. However, other factors play a role. Figure 1. Treatment of waste in Denmark 1994-2002 and targets for 2008
Source: Same as Table 1. Note that total waste arisings in 2008 have been set to correspond to waste arisings in 2002. The figure is not intended as a projection of developments in total waste arisings. First of all, amounts of residues from coal-fired power plants have decreased significantly, and they are furthermore recycled to a larger extent than in previous years when they were mainly landfilled. 1.3 Treatment of waste WITHOUT residues and construction and demolition wasteAmounts of residues from coal-fired power plants not only depend on energy consumption in Denmark, but also on exports of electricity to Sweden and Norway. In addition, due to Energy 21 a still larger shift is taking place from use of coal and coke as fuel to use of natural gas and renewable energy. Since 1996, when Denmark's electricity exports to Sweden and Norway were particularly large, amounts of residues have decreased steadily up until 2000. In actual figures this is a 1,156,000-tonne decrease, corresponding to almost a 50 per cent reduction. Naturally, this has an impact on developments of total waste arisings, but as residues have a very high rate of recycling, it also has an impact on being able to meet overall treatment targets. A similar picture is seen for construction and demolition waste. As discussed in section 6.4, the rate of recycling of construction and demolition waste typically reaches around 90 per cent. Therefore, it is interesting to look at the distribution of waste between the different treatment options, if residues and construction and demolition waste are excluded from statistics. Figure 2 shows the distribution between the different treatment options when residues from coal-fired power plants are excluded from statistics. Figure 2. Treatment of waste in Denmark 1994-2002 WITHOUT slag, fly ash etc. (coal)
Source: same as Table 1. When residues are excluded it is seen that 61 per cent of the remaining waste was recycled in 2002, which is an increase of 293,000 tonnes from 2001. The rate of remaining waste incinerated in 2002 is 28 per cent, which is to say that 123,000 tonnes more waste were incinerated in 2002 than in the year before. The rate of waste for landfilling is 10 per cent, which is a 151,000 tonne reduction compared to 2001. In actual figures this means that in 2002, apart from residues, 11,877,000 tonnes of waste were generated, corresponding to an increase of 3 per cent from 2001. Of these, 7,192,000 tonnes were recycled, whereas 3,344,000 tonnes were incinerated, and 1,156,000 tonnes were landfilled. Moreover, 22,000 tonnes were given special treatment and 163,000 tonnes have been temporarily landfilled until incineration capacity becomes available [9]. Total waste amounts without waste from coal-fired power plants increased by 30 per cent from 1994 to 2002. In Figure 3 waste from the building and construction sector has also been excluded from statistics. This causes a decrease in the rate of remaining waste for recycling, whereas the rates for incineration and landfilling increase. In actual figures, waste generation without residues and without waste from construction and demolition amounted to 7,833,000 tonnes in 2002, which is 333,000 tonnes, or 4 per cent, less than in 2001. In other words, if residues and waste from building and construction are excluded, there has been a fall in total waste arisings. Residues from coal-fired power plants and construction and demolition waste are recycled to a very large extent: in 2002, 97 per cent and 92 per cent respectively, cf. Chapter 6. It is seen that these two fractions play a very significant role in the compliance with overall waste treatment targets in the Danish government's Waste Strategy 2005-2008. Figure 3. Treatment of waste in Denmark 1994-2002 WITHOUT slag, fly ash etc. (coal) and WITHOUT construction and demolition waste
Source: same as Table 1. 1.4 Treatment by sources and waste typesFigure 4 shows total waste generation in 2002 analysed by sources and treatment options. Figure 5 shows waste generation by waste types and treatment options. Tables with detailed figures are given in Annex 1. Figure 4 shows that waste from the building and construction sector, power plants and wastewater treatment plants reached a very high rate of recycling. Targets for recycling in the Waste Strategy 2005-2008 have thus been met for waste generated by these three sectors. The rate of recycling of waste from industry is also relatively high: 61 per cent compared to a target of 65 per cent recycling. The high rate of recycling, however, is especially attributable to recycling ferrous metals. Still too much waste from this sector is led to landfill - 23 per cent against the target of only 15 per cent, and there is a challenge ahead to divert larger amounts of the other fractions from landfilling to incineration or recycling. The rate of recycling of waste from the service sector is likewise too low compared to the 2008 target of 50 per cent recycling. In 2002, only 36 per cent of the waste was recycled. The target of 45 per cent incineration has not been met, as 49 per cent is incinerated and 5 per cent is in temporary storage pending incineration when capacity becomes available. Too much waste is landfilled: 10 per cent against the target of 5 per cent. The challenge for the service sector is to divert more waste from landfilling and incineration to recycling. Treatment of the waste type domestic waste does not comply with the targets in the Waste Strategy 2005-2008, cf. Figure 5. Only 16 per cent of this waste was recycled in 2002. The recycling rate for the period 1994-2002 has fluctuated between 14 per cent and 17 per cent. The target is to reach a recycling rate of 20 per cent in 2008, whereas the targets for incineration and landfilling are 80 per cent and 0 per cent respectively. The rate of domestic waste incinerated in 2002 reached 82 per cent, whereas 2 per cent was led to landfill [10]. 1.5 Developments in waste generation 1994-2002Table 3 shows total waste arisings in Denmark for the years 1994-2002. Waste generation is analysed by commercial sources. There was an 18 per cent increase in total waste arisings in the period 1994-2002. Waste generation was largest in 2002. The reduction in waste arisings in 2001 should be seen in context with the changes in methods of calculation applied. There was an increase of 16 per cent in amounts of waste from 1994 to 1996, after which amounts decreased up to 1999 by approximately 5 per cent. From 1999 to 2000 waste arisings increased by 7 per cent. From 2000 to 2001 waste arisings fell 2 per cent. The increase in the first half of the 1990s may be due partly to the fact that coverage of the ISAG system has increased and partly due to real increases in waste amounts. The large amounts in 1996 were primarily due to particularly high amounts of residues from coal-fired power plants in 1996 – which again was due to large exports of electricity to Sweden and Norway. Footnotes[2]The source: 02 Institutions, trades and offices has been named service/service sector in the Waste Statistics 2002. [3] Developments from 1994 to 2002 are described in more detail in section 1.5 [4] Packaging Supply in Denmark 2000, Environmental Project No. 696, 2002. [5] The sources with codes 20-30 (previously called manufacturing etc.) have been named industry in Waste Statistics 2002. [6] Statutory Order on Waste (Statutory Order no. 619 of 27 June 2000) [7] Figures for 2000 from municipal wastewater treatment plants on amounts of sludge applied to farmland and incineration of sludge at sludge incineration plants are not yet available. For recycling and incineration, 2001 figures from the Danish EPA's sludge statistics have been used, whereas for landfilling ISAG figures for 2002 have been used. [8] Preliminary figures from the Danish Energy Agency on energy generation and consumption, and CO2 emissions in 2002. [9] Exemption clause in Section 37(3), Danish Statutory Order on Waste (Statutory Order No. 619 of 27 June 2000) [10] Note that organic domestic waste must be assigned to incineration. However, for islands that are not connected by land to an incineration plant there is an exemption from this duty of assignment.
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