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Statistik for genanvendelse af emballageaffald 2007

Summary and conclusions

New specification of recycling of glass, metal, paper and cardboard, plastic and wood in Denmark - 2007

We are now close to complying with the goal in the Government’s waste plan, Waste Strategy 2005-2008 and the requirements in EU’s packaging directive. The recycling goals for the packaging materials glass, metal, paper and cardboard and wood have been reached, however, there is still some way before the goal for plastic packaging has been complied with. In 2007 there was great progress in the collection of plastic packaging. The collection percentage was 21,8 per cent, but the goal in 2008 is 22.5 per cent. This requires that with an unchanged consumption, further 1.500 tons plastic packaging is collected in the coming years.

Background and purpose

General view of the development

In the EU Packaging Directive goals have been established for recycling different packaging materials until 31 December 2008:

• 60 per cent of cardboard and paper packaging waste
• 60 per cent of glass packaging
• 22.5 per cent of plastic packaging
• 50 per cent of metal packaging
• 15 per cent of wood packaging

In this report the results of the observation of recycling of packaging waste in 2007 have been described. The results are presented as a number of specifications prepared for five packaging materials, i.e. for glass, metal, paper and cardboard, plastic and wood packaging. The specification of the recycling of the paper and cardboard packaging furthermore contains a specification of the collection of recycled paper and cardboard.

The specifications on recycled paper and glass packaging both have a longstanding tradition and were established in the middle of the 1980’es. Precisely these two materials were the goals for some of the first publicly controlled recycling activities, which were 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 the attention was directed at collection from the households.

The specifications on plastic, metal and wood packaging are of a later date. Collection and recycling of metal/metal packaging from the enterprises have always taken place, but focus is now also concentrated on the households. The same applies to collecting of used plastic packaging. When adjusting EU’s Packaging Directive in 2004, wood packaging was also covered by the directive.

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 organizations of the business community are being reported directly to the project.

The typical approach is that in the beginning of the year reporting plans are being sent to a great number of manufacturers and collection and processing companies within each area of material. 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 calculated on the background of information from manufacturers and with a starting point in the merchandise and foreign trade statistics. The potentials are being published yearly in “The packaging supply in Denmark”.

Main conclusions

The Danes recycle a lot

The statistics show that the total consumption of glass packaging for 2007 amounted to 142.400 tons. Wine and alcohol bottles amount to approx. 83 per cent of the consumption of glass. 124.900 tons glass packaging was being collected and recycled, which corresponds to 88 per cent of the potential. The quantity included 50.800 tons recyclable wine bottles, while the rest consisted of broken glass. Out of the collected recyclable bottles, 13.600 tons were being recycled in Denmark.

Figures for metal packaging show that 35.100 tons of metal packaging was being used in 2007. Close to 25 per cent of the used metal packaging was being produced of aluminium whereas the remaining part primarily consisted of steel packaging including tinplate. Approx. 30.467 tons corresponding to 86.8 per cent of the potential was being recycled. Incineration scraps are included in the quantity.

The total consumption of new paper amounted to 1.380.500 tons in 2007. The production of new paper in the Danish paper mills was 230.500 tons. The recycling of recycled paper has been assessed to 840.600 tons, which corresponds to 60.9 per cent of the potential. Recycling af cardboard and paper packaging waste corresponds to 60.5 per cent of the potential.

The total consumption of plastic packaging amounted to 192.000 tons in 2007. The main part (70 per cent) of the consumption consisted of PE (polyethylene). The recycling of plastic packaging was assessed to 42.000 tons, which was almost exclusively collected from the business enterprises. The recycling quantity corresponds to 21.8 per cent of the potential. The export of plastic packaging waste amounted to 42.000 tons.

The consumption of wood packaging has been assessed to 107.500 tons in 2007. The main part of wood packaging consists of wood pallets. In 2007 3 million wood pallets were collected, of which 75 per cent were repaired. The recycled quantity has been assessed to 35.500 tons, which gives a recycling percentage of 32.9.

The total supply of the five packaging materials (which amounts to 99.5 per cent of all packaging) has been assessed to 979.000 tons in 2007. Of this, 556.262 tons were being collected for recycling or 57.0 per cent of all packaging. EU’s target is minimum 55 per cent in 2008.

Project results

The quantity of collected glass packaging has increased

In 2007, 142.380 tons glass packaging was used. The quantity of packaging in the recycling systems is not included in this. Compared with 2006, a decrease has taken place in the consumption. Recycling of glass packaging amounted to 124.941 tons corresponding to a recycling degree of 88 per cent. The remaining 12 per cent primarily ends in waste suitable for incineration.

In 2007 approx. 107 million unbroken bottles were collected, which corresponds to approx. 50.843 tons (Table 1). Out of this bottle quantity, 13.631 tons were refilled in Denmark, while the remaining was exported. The relatively high export part is a result of the fact that the bottleries in Denmark have no possibility to purchase larger quantities than what is the case today. One of the reasons is that the quantity of imported bulk wine, which is typically bottled on recycled bottles, is corresponding to 40 per cent of the consumption.

Table 1. Glass packaging consumption and recycling in Denmark. 1000 tons

Note: The statistics do not include packaging in recycling systems
1) Private persons’ purchases in border trade
2) Including collected deposited broken glass

The remaining part of the collected glass packaging in 2007, i.e. 74.098 tons, primarily consisted of broken glass for recycling (Table 1). Of this quantity, 52.039 tons were being recycled in Denmark and the remaining part was exported. Brewery broken glass is not included.

The quantity of collected metal packaging increased in 2007

The collected potential for 2007 has been estimated to 35.082 tons. 30.467 tons of metal packaging was being collected for recycling in 2007, which corresponds to 86,8 per cent of the total potential.

An increase has taken place compared to 2006, where 26.137 tons were being collected. The increase is primarily due to an increase in the quantity of aluminium packaging.

Table 2. Metal packaging consumption and collection in Denmark. Tons

Metal collected via our container stations contributes with 70 per cent and incineration iron with 12 per cent of the collection quantity. The remaining part is collected directly from the enterprises.

The collection percentage for steel packaging is 73 per cent. Out of the total collected quantity, the steel fraction (iron, base metal and tinplate) amounts to close to 64 per cent.

The paper collection decreased

The consumption of new paper decreased in 2007 to a total of 1.380.553 tons (Table 3). The Danish production of new paper amounted to 230.544 tons in 2007. 229.039 tons recycled paper was used in the production.

The collection of recycled paper for recycling amounted to 840.636 tons. Compared with the consumption, 60.9 per cent of paper was being recycled. Trade and offices together with private households contributed as a whole with 78 per cent of the collection quantity.

Table 3. Consumption, collection and recycling of paper in Denmark. 1.000 tons

Note: The part of paper and paper packaging only appears from Table 7

“Newspapers and weekly magazines” and “Better qualities” accounted for respectively 28 and 55 per cent of the total consumption in the Danish factories, which corresponds to a total quantity of 190.000 tons.

How is the paper and cardboard quantity calculated

A part of the collected paper and cardboard quantity consists of packaging. We are not aware exactly how big the packaging part is, but packaging typically occurs in the qualities “Mixed paper and cardboard” and also in “Corrugated cardboard”. It is estimated that the packaging contents in the two fractions are respectively 30 and 98. The collection of paper and corrugated cardboard packaging can accordingly be assessed to 313.559 tons or 60,5 per cent of the paper and cardboard potential.

Increase in collection of plastic packaging

The consumption of plastic packaging in 2007 has been assessed to 191.978 tons. The collection of plastic packaging for recycling was 41.787 tons in 2007, corresponding to 21.8 per cent of the consumption. According to EU’s Packaging Directive, 22.5 per cent is to be collected before the end of 2008. This implies that the collection must be increased with 1.500 tons assuming the same consumption as in 2007.

Table 4. Plastic packaging and collection in Denmark. Tons

The main part (70 per cent) of the consumption of plastic packaging is produced of polyethylene. Consequently, this packaging accounts for the largest part of the collected plastic material. Collection from commercial enterprises accounts for a very large part of the collection. The export of plastic packaging waste amounted to 42.309 tons in 2007.

Wood packaging

It is difficult to form a clear picture of the wood packaging quantity, which is being processed, as only a limited quantity goes through the traditional waste processing system. A large quantity ends in incinerators and wood burners.

Tabel 5 Wood packaging consumption and collection in Denmark. Tons

1) with the exception of wood pallets

The consumption of wood packaging has been assessed to 107.509 tons in 2007. Approx. 80 per cent of this quantity consists of wood pallets (Table 5). In addition there is a quantity of cardboard boxes, crates and wood drums.

The specification of the collected and recyclable quantity is based on an estimation of the number of EUR pallets, which are removed from the recycling system in order to be repaired. After repair, these pallets are again included in the recycling system.

In 2007, 3.0 million pallets were collected for repair, out of which approx. 2.3 million pallets were repaired. Dependent upon the pallet size, between 2 and 4 kilos in average per EUR pallet is being replaced. With this assumption, the recyclable quantity has been assessed to 35.411 tons. Compared to the total wood packaging consumption, the recycable quantity amounts to 32.9 per cent in 2007.

Reporting to EU

According to EU’s Packaging Directive, Denmark must each year report information about how the collection and recycling of the five packaging materials develop compared with the specific targets. The achieved results and the respective targets are shown in Table 6.

Please note that the calculated glass packaging consumption and the recycling of glass packaging reported to the EU Commission is based on other assumptions that those being used in Table 1. This implies that the two sets of figures in respectively Table 1 and Table 6 are not identical.

Tablel 6. Recycling in 2007. Reporting to EU Commission. Tons

1) Please note that this concerns paper and cardboard packaging. In table 4, the total paper and cardboard consumption has been assessed.

Compared to the EU packaging requirements, Denmark does not yet (2008) meet requirements for plastic packaging.

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Version 1.0 September 2009, © Miljøstyrelsen.