1 Introduction and organic waste situation

Latest revision 07/2010

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The waste hierarchy is the basis for the priorities of waste management: recycling ranks higher than incineration with energy recovery and landfilling ranks lowest.

In Denmark incineration does not count as recycling. Recycling rates (2008) for all waste without building- and construction waste and slag and fly ashes was 47 %. However including building- and construction waste and slag and fly ashes brings recycling up to 69 % as these fractions are considered recycled.

The governments’ waste management plan for 2009 – 2012 focus on waste prevention with intention to involve industry and citizens in this process. There are targets for recycling (65%) and landfilling (6%), but these targets already considered fulfilled. There is a focus on the scarcity of phosphor and subsequently need for recycling, but no targets are set.

Garden waste is recycled 98 % today (2010), but it has been allowed to use the woody part as a carbon neutral energy, when incinerated. Thus part of this waste will stop being recycled. The biogenic organic fraction of household waste is a potential source for recycling. Today (2010) only 5 % of biogenic organic fraction of household waste is treated biological.

Anaerobic Digestion has a long tradition in Denmark in particularly for pig slurry, manure and sewage. The ministry of energy counts on a tripling of energy from biogas in 2020. This energy increase is primarily considered to be reached by agricultural residues, but it might be needed to get more energy rich fractions like biogenic organic household waste because food industry waste is already used to a large extend at the farm driven AD plants.

2 Legal frameworks for waste

The Statutory Order for Waste no. 48 (Ministry of Environement, Jan. 2010) regulates and describes waste definitions and waste types, the detailed yearly report on the amount of processed waste to the EPA, describes how the municipalities have to work out waste plans every fourth year with a twelve years perspective.

The Statutory Order regarding the application of waste products for the agricultural purposes No. 1650 (Ministry of Environment and Energy – Dec. 2006) regulates the agricultural reuse of the main types of biodegradable wastes (e.g. sewage sludge, compost.) and gives limit values for content of heavy metals and organic pollutants.

Rules for sales of fertilizers and soil improvers such as compost are laid down in the Statutory Order for fertilizers and soilimprovers no. 862 given by Ministry for Food August 2008.

Standards for sample taking and analysis of sewage sludge and compost are laid down in the Statutory Order for the control of the quality of sewage sludge and compost for agricultural purposes) no. 56  (Ministry of Food, January 2000).

Present average waste fees (2010) are: 50 – 90 EURO for incineration and biological treatment of domestic waste, 25 – 45 EURO for composting of garden waste and no fee for treatment of clean organic fraction when brought to a farm owned AD facility.

Organic waste is banned on landfills.

3 Recycling of organics

Allowed raw materials are: Waste separated at the source, including composted waste, from private households, institutions and private enterprises, sludge and sewage, and unpolluted residues of products from processing of vegetable raw material, slaughter houses, fodder production and Sewage sludge from municipal treatment plants.

Sanitation rules 70 degree for at least one hour or with some use restrictions 55 degree for 14 days.

Sewage is largest part of not agricultural residues being recycled. Until now 50 % of sewage sludge has been used in agriculture. There are different trends some municipalities choose incineration and legislation has been changed to make it more economical competitive. Others still focus on the need for recycling organic matter and phosphor. The environmental quality of sewage sludge is good in European context.

Compost from garden waste is the second largest part of organic matter being recycled since nearly all has been composted so far. Half the compost is used in agriculture – the other in refined products.

The large pig farmers have wished to incinerate fibers from pig slurry to reduce their costs to fulfill the harmonization rule. The government has worked out a proposal which should allow incineration without tax. The effect is not yet known.

4 Contacts and sources of information

Solum Group
Mr. Morton Broegger
Vadsby Straede 6
DK.2640 Hedehusene, Denmark

T +45 (0) 43 99 50 20
F +45 (0) 43 99 52 31

Email: mb@solum.com
Web: www.solum.com