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Statistik for genanvendelse af emballageaffald 2004

Summary and conclusions

New analysis of recycling of glass, metal, paper and cardboard, plastic and wood packaging in Denmark.

We must improve collection of plastic packaging and metal packaging. Even though collection of plastic packaging increased from 2003 to 2004, more has to be collected in order to reach the Government’s new goal for 2008 to recycle 22.5%. Collection of metal packaging has increased slightly. However, there is still a long way to the goal for 2008 of 50%. Collection of glass packaging and recycled paper is at the same high level as in previous years.

Recycling of paper and cardboard together with glass, plastic, metal and wood packaging in Denmark in 2004 has been analysed. The analysis shows among other things that the recycling of paper and glass packaging is at the same level as in the previous years. Approx. 60 per cent of the paper and cardboard packaging consumed and 70 per cent of the glass packaging used in Denmark was collected and recycled. 16 per cent of used plastic packaging and 42 per cent of the metal packaging was collected and recycled. Wood packaging has been analysed for the first time and the result shows that we collect almost 30 per cent, or twice as much as the goal. Consequently, the figures show that Denmark has reached the targets in the national waste plan, Waste 21. With the Government’s waste strategy 2005-2008 the goals have been made more ambitious and this means that the collection of recyclable materials must be increased towards 2008.

Waste Strategy 2005-2008 – the Government’s waste policy

The waste strategy follows up on Waste 21, which covers the period 1998-2004 and specified the national effort in the waste area, to which EU member States are committed. The new plan includes the overall strategy in the waste area together with many new initiatives. The Government’s aim for future efforts regarding the waste amounts is to increase the recycling. Among other things, the following targets for recycling towards 2008 have been laid down:

- 60 per cent of paper and cardboard from the households

- 75 per cent of paper and cardboard from enterprises and public and private institutions

- 60 per cent of cardboard and paper packaging waste

- 80 per cent of glass packaging ^[2]

- 22.5 per cent of plastic packaging

- 50 per cent of metal packaging

- 50 per cent of wood packaging

Background and purpose

General view trends

In the Government’s waste plan, Waste Strategy 2005-2008, goals have been set for recycling different packaging materials until 2009. A number of initiatives have been formulated for each target to ensure that the targets can be met. The Danish targets comply with the intensified requirements in the EU Packaging Directive, which was last revised in 2004.

This report shows the results of the monitoring of the recycling of packaging waste in 2004. The results are presented as a number of statistics prepared for five packaging materials: glass, metal, paper and cardboard, plastic and wood packaging. The analysis covering the recycling of paper and cardboard packaging also includes a specification covering collection of recycled paper and cardboard. The statistics prepared with 2004 data are to be used to inform municipalities, companies, sector organizations and the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. The statistics will also be used to evaluate the effort compared to new the targets formulated in Waste Strategy 2005-2008 and the EU Packaging Directive and they will also serve as a basis for an annual report to the EU.

The areas covered by the statistics are glass, metal, paper and cardboard, plastic and wood packaging. Recycled paper includes among other things newspapers, weekly magazines, advertising literature and office paper. The statistics for recycled paper and glass packaging both have a long-standing tradition, as they have existed since the mid of 1980s. These two materials were targets for some of the first publicly regulated recycling activities aimed at the households. Arrangements for collection of recycled paper and glass packaging from commercial enterprises and industrial enterprises have, however, existed for many years and long before attention was directed towards collection from households.

Collection of used plastic packaging from commercial enterprises and industrial enterprises has been carried out for a number of years, but without any major results. Focus has been increased in this area and there is a growing demand for data illustrating the collection of this waste type. This has been in the wake of the Transport Packaging Agreement between the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and the Confederation of Danish Industries regarding recycling of plastic-based transport packaging, and the EU requirement that minimum 15 per cent of all plastic packaging was to be recycled in 2001. In the revised Packaging Directive the requirement has been raised to 22.5 per cent by 2008.

Statistics for metal packaging, which were presented for the first time for 2000 have been continued. The statistics include packaging of aluminium and steel, which has been collected separately, and incineration slag. As something new, the statistics now also include a specification of collection and recycling of wood packaging. The revised EU Packaging Directive in 2004 included wood packaging.

The survey

Data input from enterprises and authorities

The statistics are based on data from many different sources. Overall it is a question of two different types of information, partly data from public authorities, including joint local authority waste companies, and partly data from enterprises. Data from the individual enterprises or the organisations of the business community are being reported to the project – in return for an assurance of discretion from the data suppliers.

The typical approach is that in the beginning of the year questionnaires are sent out to a great number of producers and collection and processing companies for each material area. In this way it is possible to achieve knowledge of how much has been collected and produced.

The information is compared to what potentially could be collected. The potential is estimated on the background of information from producers and on the basis of the goods production and foreign trade statistics. The potentials are published yearly in a Danish publication on packaging supply in Denmark.

Main conclusions

Danes recycle a lot

The statistics for 2004 show that total consumption of glass packaging for 2004 amounted to 187,200 tonnes and 70 per cent was being recycled. Collection of glass packaging was calculated to 132,000 tons, out of which 131,500 tonnes were being recycled. Approx. 39 per cent or 51,000 tonnes ended as cullet for remelting in Denmark, 16.5 per cent was exported for recycling. Approx. 25,000 tons consisted of bottles, which were being rinsed out and refilled in Denmark. The amount corresponds to approximately 53 million wine bottles. The rest was exported as unrinsed bottles. Of the total amount of recyclable glass packaging collected, 42 per cent was exported.

Figures for metal packaging show that 44,700 tonnes metal packaging was used in 2004 and 18,900 tonnes were collected again. Close to a third of the used metal packaging was produced of aluminium whereas the remaining part primarily consisted of steel packaging including tinplate.

The 18,900 tonnes collected corresponds to approx. 42 per cent of the potential. As the target in Waste 21 was 15 per cent, the collection result is satisfactory however, compared to the new target in the Waste Strategy and the EU directive, the collection percentage has to be increased to 50 per cent by 2008.

In the area of recycled paper and cardboard, consumption increased dramatically by 7 per cent, whereas the amount collected increased by 8.1 per cent compared to the previous year. The total consumption of new paper in 2004 amounted to approx. 1,440,000 tonnes. The production of new paper in Danish paper mills was 401,000 tonnes. The collection of recycled paper was calculated at 823,500 tons. Collection of recycled paper in 2004 compared to consumption amounted to 57.2 per cent.

Total consumption of plastic packaging in 2004 amounted to 157,000 tonnes and 16.3 per cent was recycled. The main part (69 per cent) of consumption consisted of PE (polyethylene). The collected plastic packaging was calculated at 28,400 tonnes, which was almost exclusively collected from the commercial enterprises. Exports of plastic packaging waste for recycling increased from 2003 to 2004 and amounted to 60 per cent of the total quantity collected. This means that more than half of the plastic produced is sold to foreign countries because the prices on the export market are better than those in Denmark.

As something new, statistics have been established for wood packaging. According to the EU Packaging Directive, consumption and recycling of wood packaging are now to be reported to the Commission. The main part of all wood packaging consists of wood pallets. According to the directive, repair of EUR pallets (Europe pallets) is considered as recycling. In 2004, approx.1.5 million wood pallets were collected for repair. The recycled amount is assessed to 27,900 tonnes, which gives a recycling rate of 29.7 per cent.

The total supply of the all five packaging materials (which amounts to 99.5 per cent of all packaging) has been assessed to close to 949,000 tonnes in 2004. Of this, 505,000 tonnes were collected for recycling, or 53 per cent of all packaging. The EU target is minimum 55 per cent in 2008. Consequently, Denmark is close to complying with its obligation.

Project results

Collection of glass packaging is decreasing – but so is consumption

In 2004 approx. 187,000 tonnes glass packaging was used. Compared to 2003, this is a decrease of 15,000 tonnes. The decrease is primarily due to less use of tins and jars for foods. Recycling of glass packaging decreased by approximately 5,500 tonnes compared with 2003 and amounted to 131,500 tonnes. Almost all glass packaging collected is being recycled. Only a smaller quantity cannot be utilized again. If we compare the amount recycled with consumption, we get a recycling rate of 70 per cent. This means that 30 per cent of glass packaging consumption ends in the waste.

Less than half (44 per cent) of the glass packaging collected consists of whole wine and alcohol bottles. In 2004, approx. 124 million whole bottles were collected, which is equivalent to 58,800 tonnes (see table 1).

Of this bottle quantity, 25,000 tonnes were refilled in Denmark, whereas the rest was exported. Therefore, more than half (58 per cent) of the bottle quantity collected in Denmark in 2004 ended abroad as unrinsed or rinsed bottles. In 2003, the proportion was 60 per cent. Consequently, there is a decrease in the export rate. The relatively high export rate is the result of the fact that the food and beverages industry in Denmark is not able to purchase more than the current quantities. One of the reasons is that the amount of imported bulk wine, which is typically tapped into recycled bottles, is relatively small corresponding to 40 per cent of the consumption.

Table 1. Consumption of glass packaging. ‘000 tonnes

¹⁾ Including collected but not deposited cullet

The remaining part of the total glass packaging collected in 2004, i.e. 72,700 tonnes primarily consisted of cullet for recycling (see table 1). Out of the 72,700 tonnes close to 21,700 tonnes were exported and the remaining 51,000 tonnes were recycled in Denmark. Brewery cullet is not included in this amount.

The main part of the cullet collected in Denmark is remelted at Rexam Holmegaard, which apart from 2003 when the glass works stopped receiving Danish cullet, processes cullet glass to an extent of 50-56,000 tonnes yearly.

The amount of metal packaging collected increased in 2004

The total potential for 2004 was calculated at 44,750 tonnes compared with 42,200 tonnes in 2003. An increase of 6 per cent. The potential and the collecting result are shown in table 2.

Table 2. Consumption and collection of metal packaging in Denmark. Tonnes

18,900 tonnes of metal packaging for recycling were collected in 2004, which corresponds to 42.2 per cent of the total potential. The collection percentage increased by 3 per cent compared with 2003. Table 3 shows that approx. 21 per cent of the amount collected was collected direct. The remaining part was collected as incineration slag (34 per cent), via light iron/municipal iron (38 per cent), i.e. the iron which is collected from container stations or recycling stations (7 per cent).

Table 3. Collected metal packaging divided into material and packaging types. Tonnes

The collection rate for aluminium amounts to approx. 17 per cent, whereas the rate for steel packaging is close to 54 per cent. However, of the total amount collected, the steel fraction (iron, base metal and tinplate) amounts to approx. 87 per cent.

Paper collection increased

Consumption of new paper increased in 2004 by 94,500 tonnes to a total of 1,440,000 tonnes (see table 4). This corresponds to an increase of 7 per cent compared to 2003. Danish production of new paper increased from 392,000 tonnes in 2003 to 401,000 tonnes in 2004. Danish production of new paper amounted to close to 28 per cent of total consumption. 410,000 tonnes recycled paper was used in production. Consumption of recycled paper exceeds production, because in the production process, impurities and short fibres are discarded.

The collection of recycled paper increased in 2004 compared to 2003. Collection amounted to 823,500 tonnes. If collection is compared to consumption, 57.1 per cent of the paper was recollected - an increase of 0.4 percent compared to 2003.

Consumption contains all qualities of paper - including toilet paper, tissues, napkins and other absorbent paper. These paper qualities are estimated to amount to approximately 20 per cent of the total amount and cannot be used for production of new paper.

Table 4. Consumption, collection and recycling of paper in Denmark. 1.000 tonnes

This is where the paper comes from

The production companies contributed with 23 per cent of the amount collected. Trade and offices accounted for 34 per cent. 36 per cent derived from the private households, whereas 6 per cent derived from institutions.

In 2004 consumption of recycled paper in Danish factories was 410,000 tonnes (see table 4), which was 3,000 tonnes more than in 2003. This increase is primarily due to increased demand for newspapers and weekly magazines. Corrugated cardboard and better qualities accounted for 47 and 27 per cent respectively of total consumption in factories, which corresponds to 303,000 tonnes.

How is the paper and cardboard amount calculated?

Part of the amount of paper and cardboard collected consists of packaging. We do not know exactly how big the packaging share is, but packaging typically exists in two paper and cardboard fractions, i.e. as mixed paper and cardboard, and in corrugated cardboard. On the basis of knowledge of the sector, it is estimated that the packaging contents in the two fractions are respectively 30 and 95. This means that the collection of paper and cardboard packaging can be assessed as close to 292,000 tonnes or 58.7 per cent of the paper and cardboard potential. The EU target is 60 per cent in 2008.

Increase in collection of plastic packaging

Consumption of plastic packaging for 2004 has been calculated to approximately 174,200 tonnes, which is considerably larger than the preceding years.

Collection increased from 27,000 tonnes to 28,400 tonnes in 2004. This has resulted in an increase of approx. 1,400 tonnes or 5.3 per cent. The collection rate was 16.3 per cent in 2004 compared to 17.4 per cent in 2003. According to the revised EU Packaging Directive, a minimum of 22.5 per cent must be collected before the end of 2008. This means that collection must be increased by 11,000 tonnes by 2008, if the same consumption as in 2004 assumed. In other words, this would increase the collection amount by approx. 40 per cent compared to 2004.

Table 5. Consumption and collection of plastic packaging in Denmark. Tonnes

By far the main part (70 per cent) of the consumption of plastic packaging is produced of polyethylene. Not surprisingly, it is also this packaging, which accounts for the largest part of the plastic material collected, i.e. 70 per cent. Collection from businesses accounts for more than 90 per cent of total collected.

In 2004 exports of plastic packaging waste amounted to 17,000 tonnes or 60 per cent of the amount collected, which is unchanged compared with 2003.

Wood packaging

According to the revised Packaging Directive, Denmark is now required to report the amount of wood packaging and the extent of recycling of this. It is difficult to form a clear picture regarding the amount of wood packaging and the amount, which is actually being processed. Only a limited amount reaches through the traditional waste processing system. A large amount ends in incinerators and wood burners.

Table 6. Consumption and collection of wood packaging in Denmark. Tonnes

Approx. 90 per cent of wood packaging consists of wood pallets. The pallets consist of both disposable and returnable pallets. In addition to this, there is an amount of cardboard boxes, crates and wood drums.

Returnable pallets in Denmark are today almost exclusively EUR pallets (Europe pallets) and a recycling system exists for both 1/1 and ½ EUR pallets.

According to the EU directive, repaired EUR pallets are included as recyclable, because a damaged pallet is waste as it can no longer be used for its purpose. They are, however, separated from the waste flow because they can be repaired or recycled. Damaged EUR pallets are collected by a pallet repairman, who evaluates which pallets are worth repairing.

In 2004, 1.5 million EUR pallets were collected, which corresponds to a tonnage of close to 33,800 tonnes. Depending on the pallet size, between 2 and 4 kilograms per pallet is on average replaced, which corresponds to almost 5,900 tonnes of new wood. This amount is subtracted from the amount collected, which results in the recyclable amount. Consequently, 27,900 tonnes wood packaging were recycled in 2004 (including recycling of wood packaging in chipboard production).

Comparing the recycled amount with the consumption of wood packaging, the recycling rate was 29.6 per cent in 2004.

Reporting to EU

According to EU Packaging Directive, Denmark must report information each year on trends in collection and recycling of the five packaging materials compared with the specific targets. The results achieved and the respective targets are shown in table 7.

Table 7. Recycling in 2004. Reported to EU. Tonnes

According to the EU packaging requirements, Denmark is meeting its obligation as far as recycling of the total amount of packaging waste. However, Denmark is not yet meeting the requirement (in 2008) for the individual packaging materials such as paper and cardboard packaging, plastic packaging and metal packaging.

Fodnoter

^[2] This goal is based on reports to the EU-Commission and cannot be compared to the 70% in 2004, which has been described in the article.

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Version 1.0 November 2006, © Miljøstyrelsen.