New Minister for the Environment Lea Wermelin says that Denmark
can improve its waste management relative to current practices in the country.
“The clear
message to all Danes is that we are going to intensify our green ambitions
regarding trash,” Wermelin said.
The average
household in Denmark produced 600 kilograms of waste in 2016.
Almost half of
that rubbish – 48 percent – was sorted for recycling.
But that leaves
plenty of room for improvement, according to Wermelin.
“Our record
compares poorly to the rest of Europe – we are the ones with the worst waste
figures.
“That’s why
it’s important that we do something to reduce waste volume and increase
recycling. This is an area I plan to focus on,” she said.
One area in
which changes can be expected is the sorting of rubbish in different
municipalities. Currently, the extent to which different types of waste are
sorted and collected varies between municipalities.
An example of
this is bio waste, which is collected in specially-provided green bags and bins
in Copenhagen Municipality, but other areas do not provide similar facilities.
Textiles,
plastic and electronics were named by Wermellin as areas in which recycling can
be increased.
“We need more
sensible sorting of waste and we need to get Danes behind the project. I think
they will be (behind it),” she said.
Municipal waste
management firms were positive regarding new environmental initiatives on
rubbish collection.
Mads Jakobsen,
a city councillor in the Struer municipality in western Jutland, is also chair
of the Dansk Affaldsforening association, which represents waste management
companies.
“We are well
underway with development of a more unified collection system across
municipalities. You just need to be aware there is a difference between living
in an apartment, detached housing or a holiday home,” Jakobsen said.
“That’s why
individual considerations are necessary in the various municipalities,” he
added.
Dansk
Affaldsforening is currently in discussion with the food industry regarding
potential markings on packaging which will aid correct separation of waste.
“That’s the
next step and will make it much easier to sort (waste),” Jakbosen said.
Source:
https://www.thelocal.dk/20190712/more-recycling-less-rubbish-minister-wants-denmark-to-cut-down-on-trash