Miljøprojekt, 930 – Emballageforsyningen i Danmark 2002

Supply of Packagings 2002

Summary

The survey of the Danish supply of packaging covering the year 2002 was accomplished by the consulting company LOGISYS A/. In principle, the method used in this study is identical with the method used in previous years. However, another classification of the sales and transport packaging was used in the 2002 statistics. The new classification complies with the EU Directive on packaging and packaging waste. Therefore, it is not possible to compare these figures with the figures from the previous years. However, the figures showing total packaging supply can be compared without problems.

The table below shows the total quantity of the packaging supply in the year 2002:

Total supply of packaging, 2002
Materials	Sales packaging, tonnes	Transport packaging, tonnes	Total, tonnes
Corrugated cardboard	148,886	206,522	355,409
Cardboard	81,061	8,141	89,202
Paper	53,266	4,261	57,527
Paper and board, total	283,213	218,924	502,137
Glass, total	156,202	0	156,202
PVC	-133	0	-133
PP	14,383	3,510	17,892
PS	1,732	2,125	3,856
EPS	2,754	2,483	5,237
Plastic laminate	6,454	462	6,916
PET	7,104	417	7,521
HDPE	18,171	4,687	22,857
LDPE	66,952	25,215	92,167
Other plastic materials	661	283	944
Plastics, total	118,078	39,182	157,258
Aluminium	7,267	0	7,267
Tinplate/steel	30,658	3,195	33.852
Metal, total	37,925	3,195	41,119
Textile, total	3,619	-25	3,593
Wood, total	-370	146,317	145,946
Total	598,662	407,593	1,006,256
%-split	59.5	40.5	100.0

The table below shows the total supply of packaging in the past nine years.

Total supply of packaging, 2002
Materials	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Paper and cardboard	396	409	412	463	435	469	475	488	502
Glass	138	176	185	202	176	188	168	184	156
Plastics	111	136	133	163	158	153	157	150	157
Metal	34	48	43	40	36	26	45	43	41
Textile	2	3	3	4	4	4	3	3	4
Wood	79	117	83	78	132	151	152	164	146
Total	760	889	859	951	941	991	1,000	1,032	1.013
Index (1994=100)	100	117	113	125	124	130	132	136	132

As in the survey covering year 2001, the quantity of the packaging supply has been broken down on the product groups that are making use of the packaging. In principle, this is another way to calculate the packaging supply. Using these two methods, the results ought to be at the same level, however, there is a difference of 291,000 tonnes packaging. Of this 137,000 tonnes are pallets of wood, which are not included in the supply quantity, when the quantity is distributed upon the product groups. The use of other returnable packaging is not included in this calculation.

Furthermore, a survey has been made of the use of returnable packaging. It appears that the supply quantity amounts to 425 millions of returnable packaging, and, totally, they have circulated 2.5 billion times in year 2002. In case this quantity of packaging is one-way packaging, this quantity would increase the total supply of packaging by 1.1 million tonnes per year – approx. a doubling of the present quantity of packaging.

For the first time, the packaging statistics include a calculation of where the packaging quantities end as waste – in other words from where the packaging is going to be disposed. This calculation will be made in the years to come. The largest packaging amount is to be disposed of from private households. They account for approx. 43.8% of the total packaging waste.