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Statistik for genanvendelse af emballageaffald 2008

Summary and conclusions

New specification of recycling of glass, metal, paper and cardboard, plastic and wood in Denmark - 2008

We are now 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, plastic and cardboard and wood have been reached now.

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 2008 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 2008 amounted to 144.785 tons. Wine and alcohol bottles amount to approx. 77 per cent of the consumption of glass. 127.600 tons glass packaging was being collected and recycled, which corresponds to 88 per cent of the potential. The quantity included 47.500 tons recyclable wine bottles, while the rest consisted of broken glass. Out of the collected recyclable bottles, 10.600 tons were being recycled in Denmark.

Figures for metal packaging show that 34.300 tons of metal packaging was being used in 2008. Approx. 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. 28.100 tons corresponding to 81.9 per cent of the potential was being recycled. Incineration scraps are included in the quantity.

The total consumption of new paper amounted to 1.354.500 tons in 2008. The production of new paper in the Danish paper mills was 216.000 tons. The recycling of recycled paper has been assessed to 814.400 tons, which corresponds to 60.1 per cent of the potential.

The total consumption of plastic packaging amounted to 165.000 tons in 2008. The main part (72 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 25.4 per cent of the potential. The export of plastic packaging waste amounted to 44.000 tons.

The consumption of wood packaging has been assessed to 88.000 tons in 2008. The main part of wood packaging consists of wood pallets. In 2008 approx. 1.4 million wood pallets were being collected and repaired. The recycled quantity has been assessed to 36.000 tons, which gives a recycling percentage of 41.

The total supply of the five packaging materials (which amounts to 98 per cent of all packaging) has been assessed to 902.000 tons in 2008. Of this, 539.000 tons were being collected for recycling or 60 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 2008, 144.785 tons glass packaging was used. The quantity of packaging in the recycling systems is not included in this. Compared with 2007, a minor increase has taken place in the consumption. Recycling of glass packaging amounted to 127.602 tons corresponding to a recycling degree of 88 per cent. The remaining 12 per cent primarily ends in waste suitable for incineration.

In 2008 approx. 100 million unbroken bottles were collected, which corresponds to approx. 47.619 tons (Table 1). Out of this bottle quantity, 10.663 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 relatively small corresponding to 45 per cent of the consumption.

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 2008, i.e. 79.9 mio. tons, primarily consisted of broken glass for recycling (Table 1). Of this quantity, 54.9 mio. tons were being recycled in Denmark and the remaining part was exported. Brewery broken glass is not included.

The quantity of collected metal packaging decreased in 2008

The collected potential for 2008 has been estimated to 34.331 tons. 28.119 tons of metal packaging was being collected for recycling in 2008, which corresponds to 81.9 per cent of the total potential.

A decrease has taken place compared to 2007, where 30.467 tons were being collected. The decrease applies to a decrease in the quantity of aluminium packaging and steel packaging, respectively.

Metal collected via our container stations contributes with 61 per cent and incineration iron with 12 per cent of the collection quantity. The remaining part is collected directly from the enterprises.

The paper collection decreased

The consumption of new paper decreased in 2008 to a total of 1.354.542 tons (Table 3). The Danish production of new paper amounted to 226.329 tons in 2008. 216.009 tons recycled paper was used in the production.

The collection of recycled paper for recycling amounted to 814.387 tons. Compared with the consumption, 60.1 per cent of paper was being recycled. Trade and offices together with private households contributed as a whole with 69 per cent of the collection quantity.

Note: The part of paper and paper packaging only appears from Table 6

“Newspapers and weekly magazines” and “Better qualities” accounted for respectively 26 and 56 per cent of the total consumption in the Danish factories, which corresponds to a total quantity of 177.100 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 310.809 tons or 60,5 per cent of the paper and cardboard potential.

Status quo in collection of plastic packaging

The consumption of plastic packaging in 2008 has been assessed to 164.838 tons. The collection of plastic packaging for recycling was 41.951 tons in 2008, corresponding to 25.4 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 recycling goal has been reached now.

The main part (73 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 44.050 tons in 2008.

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.

1) with the exception of wood pallets

The consumption of wood packaging has been assessed to 88.021 tons in 2008. Approx. 78 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 2008, 3.0 million pallets were collected for repair, out of which approx. 30 per cent is being discarded. 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 36.045 tons. Compared to the total wood packaging consumption, the recycable quantity amounts to 40.9 per cent in 2008.

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.

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 meet the requirements (2008) for all five packaging materials.

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Version 1.0 September 2010, © Miljøstyrelsen.