Waste prevention and Pay as You Throw, a collective case ... - lumes

Europe’s environmental pioneers (Skou & Liefferink, 1997). Table 2‐2 illustrates a timeline of Sweden’s waste
management legislative efforts.
Table 2‐2: Waste Policy Developments in Sweden.
1994 – Producer Responsibility introduced for packaging.
2000 – Landfill tax introduced.
2001 – Producer Responsibility extended to electronic waste.
2002 – Ban on landfilling burnable waste.
2003 – National goal to divert 35% organic waste by 2010. Landfill tax increased.
2005 – Ban on landfilling organic waste.
2006 – Tax on waste to incineration. Landfill tax increased.
‐Source: Adapted from Fredriksson, 2004:33; Bertilsson et al, 2008:14.
The introduction of EPR in 1994 had a marked effect on recycling rates in Sweden: between 1994 and 2004
sorting increased by 140% (Bertilsson et al, 2008:29). Beyond increased diversion, the law is also credited with
helping reduce packaging volume (ibid). During this time, household waste heading to landfill also dropped
from 20 to 5%, and incineration increased from 40 to 50% (ibid:29).
Since the implementation of EPR, the responsibility for the collection of household waste is divided between
the municipality and the producers. Table 2‐3 below explains this division:
Table 2‐3: Division of Responsibility for Household Waste Collection in Sweden.
Municipality
Collecting waste bins
Bulky waste
Garden waste
Hazardous waste
Electronic waste (shared with producers)
‐Adapted from Peterson, 2004:117.
Producer
Newspapers and other recycled paper
Packaging made of paper, metal, plastic, and glass
Electronic waste (shared with municipality)
In response to EPR passage, five material collection companies–plastic, metal, corrugated cardboard, paper,
and glass–were formed in Sweden, under the title of “Packaging and Newspaper Collection” (Förpacknings‐och
tidningsinsamlingen)(FTI), which took financial responsibility for recycling packaging and newspapers
(Bertilsson et al, 2008). As of November 1 st , 2008, soft plastics can now also be recycled in the same bin as
other plastics as an extension of EPR (Meyer, 2010). FTI has the goal of providing recycling centers at the ratio
of 1 per 1000 inhabitants, and thus far has responsibility for more than 6,000 recycling centers in Sweden
(Bertilsson et al, 2008:39; Meyer, 2010). The REPA‐registret, or “register for producer responsibility” (Register
för Producentansvar) handles the fees from producers that choose to join in the FTI system (Jansson, &
Peterson, 2004:148). Thus far, 90% of packaging volume is covered under the EPR collection system in Sweden
(ibid:148).
Landfill bans and taxes have moved Sweden away from this treatment method and towards recycling,
composting, and incineration. In 2002, it became illegal to landfill burnable waste, and in 2005 the government
banned depositing organic waste in landfills (See Table 2‐2). Landfill taxes from the government were meant to
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