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Waste Statistics 2002 2 Recycling2.1 Recycling analysed by fractionsTable 4 shows the proportion of the different waste fractions that are separated for recycling in the form of reprocessing, composting, or biogasification. The table is not an outline of total amounts generated of each fraction. As the table shows, 8,357,000 tonnes of waste were recycled in 2002, which is 3 per cent or 256,000 tonnes more than in 2001. This increase is attributable to a steep increase in recycling of branches, leaves and grass, asphalt, and soil and stone, as well as to a decrease in the rate of recycling of almost all other fractions. 2.2 Paper and cardboardConsumption of virgin paper and the rate of collection of waste paper in the period from 1994 to 2002 are shown in Table 5. Note that statements of virgin paper consumption for 2001 and 2002 are not yet available. [11] Total collected waste paper in 2002 amounted to 688,000 tonnes. This is a decrease of 23,000 tonnes, or 3 per cent, from total amounts collected in 2001. Table 6 shows collected paper analysed by source and by the waste type packaging waste and remaining waste types. Not surprisingly, the largest amounts of waste paper are collected from households, the service sector, and industry. The largest amount of packaging waste originates from the service sector. Packaging waste is a new waste type in the ISAG and it does not yet reflect the total amount of packaging waste in the form of cardboard collected for recycling in Denmark. In 2000, 295,000 tonnes of packaging waste consisting of paper and cardboard were recycled in Denmark [12]. Amounts of waste paper collected from households increased by around 12,200 tonnes from 2001 to 2002. Since 1997 and until 2000, amounts of paper collected from households have remained stable at around 180,000 tonnes [13]. From 2001 amounts increased to around 204,000 in 2002. Amounts of waste paper collected from the service sector increased by around 5,000 tonnes or 2 per cent, amounting to 250,300 tonnes in 2002. The amount of paper collected from industry has fallen by around 39,500 tonnes, corresponding to 15 per cent compared to 2001. In the ISAG, waste delivered to a recycling centre is registered with the commercial source "recycling centre/transfer station". Thus, it is not stated whether waste originated from households or other primary sources. From 2001 recycling centres/transfer stations must indicate a distribution scale for waste types and primary source. Since this is not yet routine, the ISAG secretariat has carried out a reallocation as shown in Annex 2. 2.3 PlasticTable 7 shows the amounts of plastic collected for recycling registered in the ISAG. In 2002 collected plastic amounted to 50,600 tonnes, which is an increase of around 4,500 tonnes from 2001. However, it is assumed that some plastic has been collected and exported directly for recycling abroad without having been registered at a Danish treatment plant. It is therefore probable that larger amounts have been collected for recycling in Denmark than the 50,623 tonnes. The fraction "plastic" covers both production waste, plastic packaging waste, and other plastic waste, with individual figures shown in Table 7. Packaging waste is a new waste type in the ISAG and it does not yet reflect the total amount of waste plastic packaging collected for recycling and reprocessing in Denmark. Thus, in the following description of recycling plastic, the ISAG figures have been supplemented with information from more detailed statistics on waste plastic packaging. Statistics on waste plastic packaging from 2000 [14] show that in that year 22,750 tonnes of waste plastic packaging were reprocessed in Denmark. Half of this amount was imported. In 2000, 19,650 tonnes of waste plastic packaging were collected in Denmark. Of this amount, 8,200 tonnes were exported for recycling abroad. Total amounts collected correspond to 12.5 per cent of total Danish consumption of plastic packaging. This is a slight increase from 1999, when 11 per cent of waste plastic packaging was collected for recycling. Waste plastic of the type polyethylene (PE) accounted for 80 per cent of collected amounts. 2.4 Bottles and glassAccording to the ISAG reports, 135,000 tonnes of bottles and glass were collected for recycling in Denmark in 2002. This is 17,000 tonnes less than in 2001. There is no explanation for this decrease. As seen in Table 8, the amount of glass collected for recycling has increased by 25,500 tonnes or 23 per cent in the period 1994 to 2002. However, the figures fluctuate somewhat throughout the period. It is evident from Table 8 that by far the major part of the collected glass is packaging waste: thus, packaging waste accounted for 87 per cent of the total amount of glass in 2002. However, the ISAG does not provide a complete picture of total material flows. This is especially the case with recycling of bottles and glass - a process with several collection, reuse, and treatment steps before glass becomes waste. As a consequence, in the following description of total recycling of glass, the ISAG information is supplemented with information from the Statistics on Glass Packaging 2000 [15], cf. Figure 6. Figure 6. Developments in consumption, collection and recycling of bottels and glass 1990-2000.
Source: Statistics on Glass Packaging 2000, Ole Kaysen, Econet. Environmental Project No. 697, 2002. Note that total consumption for 1999 has been adjusted compared with figures in the Statistics on Glass Packaging 1999. The adjustment is due to a write up of amounts of glass packaging for food preserves. Apart from minor fluctuations, consumption of glass packaging has been on the increase throughout the 1990s. Also collection and recycling of glass packaging has been increasing. Collected glass amounted to 126,000 tonnes in 1999 and 129, 000 tonnes in 2000. Amounts of recycled glass also increased - from 123,000 tonnes in 1999 to 125,000 tonnes in 2000. This means that the rate of collection of total consumption in 2000 reached 66 per cent – an increase of 3 percentage points compared to 1999. The rate of recycling of total consumption in 2000 reached 64 per cent, which is a somewhat lower rate than in 1999. Bottles for beer and soft drinks manufactured for reuse are not included in this statement. Refillable glass bottles, on average, make 30 trips. If these bottles were manufactured as single-use bottles, it would give an increase in waste glass of around 310,000 tonnes. 2.5 Ferrous metalsTable 9 shows amounts of ferrous scrap collected analysed between consignees. For 2002, it is seen that 718,000 tonnes of ferrous scrap were recycled, and this is a significant decrease of 153,000 tonnes or 18 per cent compared to 2001. Table 9 shows that the amount of ferrous scrap generated in Denmark and led to foundries and the Danish Steel Works has fallen by 191,000 tonnes or 51 per cent compared to 2001. The fall is due to the fact that the Danish Steel Works was in operation only during the first half of 2001. At the same time, there has been a fall of 122,000 tonnes, corresponding to 51 per cent, in the amounts of ferrous scrap imported by foundries and the Danish Steel Works. The Association of Danish Recycling Industries has reported that ferrous scrap not sent to the Danish Steel Works has been exported. Total potential of ferrous scrap is not known precisely. The Association of Danish Recycling Industries normally estimates a recycling rate in excess of 90 per cent for ferrous scrap. According to the ISAG reports, the Danish Steel Works and other Danish foundries imported 116,000 tonnes of ferrous scrap in 2002, whereas scrap dealers imported around 76,000 tonnes. Total imports in 2002 thus amounted to 192,000 tonnes of ferrous scrap, which is 81,000 tonnes, or 30 per cent, less than in 2001. Scrap dealers exported 611,000 tonnes of ferrous scrap in 2002, which means that net exports in 2002 were 535,000 tonnes - an increase of 8 per cent from 2001. 2.6 Organic waste for composting, wood chipping and biogasificationAmounts of organic waste led to reprocessing in the form of composting, wood chipping, biogasification, or fodder production are shown in Table 10. Organic waste led to reprocessing in 2002 amounted to 1,284,000 tonnes. This is 168,000 tonnes more than in 2001. This increase is particularly attributable to an increase in amounts of sludge for composting: 137,000 tonnes more in 2001 than in 2002, but also to an increase of 55,000 tonnes in amounts of garden waste for composting/wood chipping. Amounts of bark/wood chips and compost removed from treatment plants do not reflect the total amount generated at the plants. Rather, the amounts removed indicate the quantity sold or delivered free from the plants. It is seen from the table that amounts of sold/removed bark/wood chips were about 1,000 tonnes larger than in 2001, whereas amounts of sold/removed compost were 12,000 tonnes larger than in 2001. 2.7 TyresIn 1995, the Minister for Environment and Energy entered an agreement with a number of organisations, on a take-back scheme for waste tyres from cars, vans, and motorcycles. The purpose of the agreement is to ensure collection and recycling of waste tyres in Denmark. Landfilling is avoided and resource recovery ensured, whereby material recovery is prioritised to energy recovery. The scheme started 1 April 1995 and is financed by a fee on the tyres covered by the agreement and marketed in Denmark. According to the agreement, the target is a take-back rate of at least 80 per cent. As per 1 April 2000 the scheme was extended to cover tyres for all types of motor vehicles. Therefore, there is a leap in data from 1999 to 2000 in Table 11. The table shows that the collection rate for waste tyres surpassed 100 per cent in 2002. According to reports from the Danish Tyre Trade Environmental Foundation, this is presumably due to the fact that waste tyres have been imported from Germany, and due to the fact that some waste tyres have been collected and stored for several years. Footnotes[11] Statistics on collected waste paper and cardboard 2001 will be made available in 2003. [12] Reporting of packaging waste to the EU. [13] Amounts registered in 1998 are probably 20,000 tonnes in excess due to double registration. [14] Environmental Project No. 602, 2001. Data for 2001 will be made available in 2003. [15]Data for 2001 will be made available in 2003. Figures for 2002 are not yet available.
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