STENA METALL AB - Stena Metall Group

Advances in recycling
More recycling, less landfilling
The volume of waste that can be recycled instead of disposed
in landfills has increased dramatically in many countries,
including Sweden, in the last five years. This has been made
possible through research and development projects, investment
willingness, training, new laws and greater environmental
awareness. Europe is becoming a “landfilling-free” society
where waste resources are better utilized. The only sustainable,
long-term solution is to use today’s products as the raw
material for tomorrow.
Conserving limited resources
Resource conservation means, among
other things, utilizing our shared natural
resources in the best way possible. Important
raw materials from mines, forests and
oil reserves are used in various products
and circulate through society and the ecocycle.
When cars, computers, newspapers
and other things we use become waste, the
next challenge awaits: to recycle as much
as possible and produce raw material for
new products. In this way, we can reuse
the material in circulation in society. For
example, iron and other metals can be
reused an unlimited number of times.
Recovered paper can be recycled six or
seven times. The water in hazardous waste
can often be treated and released back into
nature.
Of course, there are also wastes that
have been difficult to recycle earlier either
because it has not been profitable or the
technology has not been available.
Progress is clearly being made, and the
trend in Europe is toward higher recycling
rates and less waste disposed in landfills –
and removed from the ecocycle. This is
possible through cooperations between
lawmakers, researchers, businesses and the
public.
Cooperation makes more
recycling possible
New directives and laws in the EU and its
member states in recent years require increased
recycling while at the same time
raising landfill costs or restricting their use
for various types of waste. Demands have
also been tightened on landfill design.
Industrial companies and other businesses
have shown a commitment to
Landfill waste in Sweden 1994–2004
000 tons
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 year
During the period 1994–2004 landfill waste declined by 59 percent. Reported
volumes represent household waste, certain construction and demolition waste,
and production waste. Mining waste is not included. The statistics cover municipal
and certain industrial landfi lls.
Source: Swedish Association of Waste Management
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