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Report 1 (of 6): Get Sorted
- Denmark
Introduction
The Danish government aims to downsize the rubbish
tips in Denmark by ensuring that all the municipalities
recycle at least 50% of their refuse. The object
is to send as little as possible to the tip, only
using it as the last resort. The reason for reducing
the refuse dumped on the tip to an absolute minimum
is that nearly all of the waste can be used as a
resource and therefore, should not be dumped in nature.
Fredericia is a town at the very heart of Denmark
and is well known for its heavy industry. At the
beginning of the 1980s, Fredericia was subject to
considerable criticism on environmental grounds.
The people of Fredericia have now implemented a system
which recycles most of their refuse and contributes
to a better environment. The sorting of refuse is
the central point of their recycling system and everybody,
whether they live in a house or in a block of flats,
takes part in sorting their rubbish into different
categories. Pamplets are available which provide
instructions for people on how to sort out their
waste for recycling.
In order to achieve a high rate of recycling, everybody
must fully support the concept of sorting out and
disposing of their refuse.
The Refuse System for Blocks of Flats
Environmental pavilions have been placed near all
the blocks of flats in Fredericia and the residents
are responsible for taking their refuse there and
sorting it out themselves. Different bins are provided
for the sorting of green kitchen refuse; other refuse;
glass; paper/cardboard; plastics - bottles only;
and expanded polystyrene/metal.
The Refuse System for Houses
Residents in houses can dispose of their refuse
in a number of ways. Green kitchen waste can be composted
at home in rodent proof compost bins provided by
the council. The addition of special compost worms
- turbo worms - which are also provided by the council,
speeds up the breaking down process. For the people
who cannot make their own compost, a central composting
site has been established for treating green kitchen
refuse and the muncipality collect it every fortnight
from 140 litre ventilated bins. The compost ends
up in gardens and fields to benefit the plants and
the environment.
The other refuse, such as meat and fish remains,
milk and juice cartoons, nappies, dust from the vacuum
cleaner, dirty tins and cans, and leftover food,
should be carefully wrapped in disposable containers
to avoid bad smells and then is collected for incineration
every fortnight from 90/140/190 litre bins. Home
owners must choose a bin that meets the demands of
their households. The refuse collected is incinerated
in Kolding and used to provide heating for many homes.
Recycling Centre
Recyclable materials are sorted and treated at the
recycling centre. Lids must be removed from plastic
containers and plastics, metals and glass should
be rinsed and cleaned prior to disposal. Newspapers;
cardboard; mixed paper; plastics - for example, empty
containers from detergents and shampoos; glass -
for example, bottles, jam jars and chipped drinking
glasses; metals - for example, tins, cans and bottle
tops; green kitchen refuse - such as, cut flowers,
house plants, herbs, fruit and vegetable remains,
nutshells and eggshells, bread and cake remains,
cereals, coffeee grounds and tea leaves; inflammable
refuse; construction waste; clean soil; recyclable
items; garden refuse; and hazardous waste, such as
oil, chemicals and batteries, can all be disposed
of at the recycling sites.
Glass, is sorted into two categories - glass that
can be remelted and non-disposable bottles. Paper
and cardboard are pressed into bales and sent to
factories where they are used for making recycled
paper and cardboard. Expanded polystyrene is turned
into filler material, insulation material, or is
used for making new expanded polystyrene packaging
material. Metal is sent to factories for remelting.
Plastics - bottles only - are used for making new
plastic products.
Hazardous Waste
Paints and batteries etc. can be disposed of at
the two recycling sites. In addition, the municipality
has made agreements with pharmacies and paint dealers
for the return of medicine and paint remains.
Medicine remains can be returned to the pharmacies,
if possible, in the original packaging. Syringes
and needles must be put into approved needle boxes
which are available from the pharmacies.
Paint remains can be returned to the paint dealers
in tight, closed containers. The paint dealers do
not accept mercury, acids, alkalis, vegetable poisons
and pesticides etc. and these materials must be disposed
of at the recycling sites.
Batteries can be disposed of in all places where
batteries are for sale. This also applies to rechargeable
batteries containing harmful heavy metals such as
cadmium and nickel. Car batteries can be returned
to the car dealers or disposed of at the recycling
sites.
Older people and the disabled who need help to return
their hazardous waste to the dealers or dispose of
their garden refuse can order collection from the
council through a telephone hotline number.
Recycling Shops and Workshops
In Fredericia, most types of household goods are
used over and over again. Any items that can be resold
are sent to council run workshops where a team of
people repair and renovate anything that is retrievable
before putting them up for sale in the special recycling
centre shop. Old clothes are sorted, washed, repaired
and also sold in the recycling shops. The system
could work anywhere because it is low tech and operates
with the cooperation of local people.
Recycling Success The municipality has achieved
a high degree of recycling. As a result, waste combustion
has been greatly reduced, and far less waste now
ends its days at waste disposal sites. The grading
of green household waste has proved extremely popular,
with many households using compost bins regularly.
The people who do not want to make their own compost
(or who are unable to) sort and deliver their vegetable
waste for centralised composting by the municipality.
The compost produced can be purchased very cheaply
and used to improve garden soil.
Cleaner Industry and Cleaner Water
The content of sulphur dioxide in the air has been
greatly reduced because most urban districts are
now supplied with district heating which utilises
surplus energy from the factories. As a result, emissions
to the waters of the Little Belt inlet and pollution
from factory chimneys have fallen dramatically.
The vast majority of companies in Fredericia have
installed flue gas cleaning systems and large companies
have started to use natural gas instead of oil. Unlike
oil and coal, natural gas does not emit sulphur dioxide
on combustion and 99% of the emissions consist of
water vapour only.
All waste water from the town is treated at the
Fredericia Central Treatment Plant. Effective treatment
has lead to a significant drop in the amount of pollution
emitted to the Little Belt, and the quality of seawater
has improved as a result. Household waste in the
municipality is now graded so effectively that Fredericia
has one of the best waste treatment systems in the
whole of Denmark.
For further information, please contact:
Municipality of Fredericia, Radhuset, Gothersgade
20, DK-7000, Fredericia, Denmark.
Tel: +45 79 21 21 21 Fax: +45 79 21 21 20
ITDG would like to thank the Municipality of Fredericia
for providing the information on the Refuse System
in Frederica.
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