The Swedish Waste Management System

Part 1 Sweden Avfall Sverige – Swedish Waste Management

Sweden  9,4 million inhabitants  km 2

Avfall Sverige – Swedish Waste Management  An organisation in the Waste Management and Recycling Sector  400 members, primarily within the public sector, but also private enterprises  Through our members, we represent 99,9 % of the Swedish population  Our primary task is to represent and develop members by creating networks, providing information and training, and influencing decision-makers  Member of Cewep, ECN, ISWA and Municipal Waste Europe

Avfall Sverige – Swedish Waste Management  Our members are responsible for municipal waste management provide services for other waste categories represent an important part of the infrastructure in the society  We – together - are aiming towards an environmentally correct and sustainable waste management, for the benefit of society

Part 2 Waste – a Resource The Development Responsibilities Operations

Waste - a resource

Waste hierarchy

Unique results

The development

Important steps of development  Late 1800: Cholera-epidemic - start of municipal waste management  1950’s: District heating systems developed  1970’s and 80’s: Oil crises - waste is being used for district heating

Municipal waste planning compulsory Important steps of development Producers’ responsibility introduced Landfill tax introduced Ban on landfill of combustible waste Ban on landfill of organic waste and national target on food waste Household waste to landfill per year (tonnes) On-going national overview

Clear division of responsibilities Producers: Collection and treatment of waste within the Producers Responsibility Waste generator: Citizens/households: Separation and leave/transport waste at indicated collection points Companies/Industries: Handling of own generated waste Municipalities: Collection and treatment of municipal waste Information to households Parliament/Government Supervisory Authorities

Authorities and agencies National level  Parliament  National environmental targets  The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency  National waste plan  Produces national legislation and guidelines  National environmental courts (5 plus one superior):  Gives permissions to larger treatment plants Regional level  County Administrative Board - government authority (21 counties):  Regional environmental targets  Permissions and control for most treatment plants  Supervision of the regional treatment capacity Municipal level  Municipal authorithies:  Local enviroenmental targets  Local waste plans and regulations  Permissions and control of smaller treatment plants

Operations Municipalities deal with their responsibility in different ways and design their own waste management organisation Administration:  Almost 50% have formed municipal waste management companies Collection of municipal waste:  30% inhouse operation  70% contract to private operators Treatment of municipal waste:  35% inhouse operation  65% contract to other operators, mainly municipally owned

Co-operation Co-operation – the solution to an increasingly complex waste management: Optimizing environmental and social benifit Handle the waste in a cost- effecient way Securing competence

Part 3 Overview Model Infrastructure Collection Recovery and Recycling

Overview model Housholds or companies Waste prevention Collection and transport Recycling stations Recycling centers Curbside collection Materialrecycling Biological recycling Energy recovery Landfill New products: Biogas, new materials, district heating, electricity, bio-fertilizer

Public awarness - a success factor Key messages and tools for motivation and to facilitate collaboration: –Communication –Development of self instructive systems –Feed back of the results and that ”what I do matters” –Emphasize on the waste holders responsibility and participation

Waste prevention in Sweden  99 % material recycling or energy recovery today  more focus on waste prevention  Information, knowledge and behaviour success factors  Long tradition of reuse through flymarkets, second hand, collection at recycling parks, etc  Largest challenge: decoupling between generated waste and economic growth Generated household waste in Sweden is predicted to double (Swedish EPA) Generated waste world wide is predicted to rise with 72 % (What a Waste-A global review of Solid Waste Management, mars 2012, World Bank Group) Generated household waste in Sweden is predicted to double (Swedish EPA) Generated waste world wide is predicted to rise with 72 % (What a Waste-A global review of Solid Waste Management, mars 2012, World Bank Group)

Infrastructure Collection of waste from households based on source separation  Curb side collection  630 manned drop-off recycling centers  unmanned recycling drop-off stations Treatment and recycling of waste based on the charcter of the waste  58 organic waste facilities  32 waste to energy plants  79 landfills

Recycling centers

Recycling and treatment Different treatment methods depending on the character of the waste, makes it possible to use the waste as a resource Combustible waste Food waste Materials New products District heating BiofertilizerBiogas Electricity

Production of biogas and bio-fertilizer  The most increasing treatment method  Energy recovery by the production of biogas used as a vehicle-fuel  Recycling of nutritions to farming-land by the production of bio-fertilizer  Source separation and quality assurance key words During 2011, 322 GWh vehicle-fuel was produced from foodwaste replacing about 30 millions liters of petrol. 600,000 tonnes fertilizer is replaced with biofertilizer yearly in Sweden.

Generation of district heating and electricity  Covers around 20 % of the total district heating in Sweden, equals the needs of homes  Produces electricity corresponding to the needs of homes  Advanced and secure flue gas treatment  Most of the rest-products can be recycled Total energy production 2011: District heating: 13,5 TWh Electricity: 2 TWh (including industral waste)

Efficient and clean waste incineration

From landfills to modern recycling facilities (Illustrator: Per Josefsson)

An integrated part of a holistic system Products Material recycling Waste Incineration Landfill Vehicle fuel Biogas Cooling/ heating production Biosolids Farms Sewage water cleaning Anaerobic digestion Electricity production Other fuels Households

Part 4 Waste Economy Means of Control Success Factors Vision and Long Term Goals

Waste economy Municipal waste:  All costs covered by municipal waste fees (not by taxes)  Tariffs decided by each municipal board  Non-profit  Allowed to be differentiated to encourage source separation for recycling Municipal waste within producers’ responsibility:  Costs covered by a fee added to the price of every product

Waste fee Average yearly fee per household 2011: Houses: 240 EUR Flats: 150 EUR Average daily fee per household

Costs for municipal waste management Cost for municipal waste management, 2010, average

Means of control  Environmental objectives  Government regulations, bans, and taxes, for example:  Tax on landfilling (since 2000)  Ban on landfilling of combustible waste since 2002  Ban on landfilling of organic waste since 2005  Differentiated municipal waste tariffs  Municipal waste planning and regulations  Information and communication

Important success factors  Waste management is a public service  Clear division of roles and responsibilities enable necessary investments  Clear national environmental targets showing the direction  Long-term regulations and economical steering instruments  Co-operation between municipalities  Co-operation within municipalites (Waste-, Energy-, Water-, Urban- planning-, etc departements)  Collaboration between public and private sectors  Focus on communication and public engagement

Avfall Sverige’s vision BN P Economic growth Generated waste Zero waste! Long-term goals until 2020:  Decoupling between generated waste and economic growth  Strong upward movement in waste hierarchy

Part 5 Waste Management on Export – A new Swedish Platform

Aim with the new platform To facilitate the export of  Swedish knowledge about waste management,  products and services within the waste sector, through cooperation among municipalities, municipal companies and the private sector.

A strategy based on cooperation Swedish waste management - municipalities - municipal companies - private companies (technology suppliers and knowledge suppliers) Swedish waste management - municipalities - municipal companies - private companies (technology suppliers and knowledge suppliers) One strong platform with a unique combination of competences

What we are doing  Defining offers to form a product catalogue  Making an inventory of resources matching the offers  Developing business models for co-operation between municipalities and companies in order to be able to form the strongest offer  Preparing a routine for canalize and asset incoming requests  Taking part in pilot projects in different countries to be able to further develop our models and routines

Offers Questions 1.”How do we find the form/organisation to achieve what we want with our waste management system?” 2.”How should we form our waste management system on an overview level?” 3.”We are in the need of treatment capacity, but we do not have the funds or time to prioritize to build up all capacity right now” Matching offers Management on local, regional and cluster level: Co-operation, organization, waste economy, tax fee construction, etc Waste management in sustainable urban development: System design, waste planning, solutions for collection- and sorting systems Providing treatment capacity (incluing solutions for logistics) as a transfer solution.

Offers Questions 4.”We know what we want to build, but we need support in setting up the plant/facility.” 5.”We have got a plant/ facility. But we want to improve in running and maintain it, and get the most out of it.” 6.”We want to reach the public, the decision makers or other stakeholders with our message.” 7.”We want to train our personnel.” Matching offers  Setting up different waste facilities: Financing possibilities, feasibility studies, procurement, construction, etc  Operation, support and optimization of different waste facilities  Communication and campaigns (raise awareness)  Training courses overseas or in Sweden, offer internship possibilities.

Swedish Waste Management on Export Project leader: Jenny Åström Working group chair: Thomas Nylund avfallsverige.se/in-english/waste- management-on-export/ Contact and information