The current survey WStatR2022 is mostly similar to the prior surveys WStatR2020, WStatR2018, WStatR2016, WStatR2014 and WStatR2012. All surveys follow the guidelines from Eurostat, which means they should be comparable over time. However, some methodological improvements have the effect that the estimates for different years are not always comparable. These cases are described under Major changes compared with previous year, together with a description of observed major changes since last survey in 2020. For a few industries with relatively low rates of waste generation data is not collected for every reference year, but less frequent (typically every 4 years). This affects the comparability over time for NACE 01-03, 13-15, 16, 19, 20-22, 23, 26-30, 31-33. For these industries, interpretations and comparisons of trends are not meaningful. For all industry NACE:s (C), a survey was used regarding generated waste 2020. This was to make sure that we included the potential impact of Covid-19 on generated waste. NACE 16 was investigated with survey method for the first time since 2008. A new method was also used for estimating hazardous waste from NACE G-U excl 46.77. Administrative register data on hazardous waste was used for the first time in WStatR 2022. Waste amounts from NACE D35 in WStatR2022 is extrapolated from gross electricity supply in combination with waste amounts from WStatR2020. There have also been some changes in methodology and interpretations as described in earlier quality reports. The amounts of rest products classified as by-products are increasing. Many rest-products that in more recent WStatR are reported as by-products were reported as waste in WStatR2006 and WStatR2008. For example, there are two waste types in the steel sector, which in the current and more recent surveys are classified as by-products: electric arc furnace slag and blast furnace slag. In the paper industry, bark and wood residues that are used as fuel have been reclassified as by-products. As mentioned earlier in this report, many of the reported estimates are associated with considerable uncertainties. This means that even if the results are comparable, it can be difficult to interpret the differences between reference years. The differences can, in some cases, reflect statistical uncertainties or different interpretations of for example by-products, and in other cases be due to actual changes in waste amounts. Major changes compared with previous year For WStatR 2022 some new methods were introduced: - Vegetal waste (09.2) in NACE A is now estimated using a new method - Mineral wastes (12.A*) A clarification regarding hazardous-classification in the environmental reports of some 12.A waste in the NACE B05-09 has increased the amount of hazardous waste reported significantly. - NACE 16: survey method was used for the first time since 2008 - Hazardous waste in the NACE G-U excl. G46.77 sector is now estimated using a new method using register data. WASTE GENERATION The total amount of waste generated in Sweden increased from ca 140 000 000 tonnes in 2018 and to ca 150 000 000 tonnes 2020. The majority of this waste (116 000 000 tonnes) is mineral waste (12.A) from the mining and extraction industry (NACE B05-09). This is also where the majority of the increase has occured (comp. 103 000 000 tonnes in the same category generated in 2018). There has been a 6% increase in non-hazardous waste and a 274% increase in hazardous waste between 2018 and 2020. The increase in hazardous waste is due to a classification clarification regarding hazardous status of some 12.A waste generated in the mining and extraction industry. The increase of 4 740 000 tonnesof 12.A* in the mining and extraction industry explains almost the entire increse in hazardous waste of 5 000 000 tonnes between 2018 and 2020. Other major changes are driven by an increase of waste in NACE F41-43, an increase of hazardous waste in NACE G-U excl. G46.77 (driven by a method change), variation in NACE E38 and a general decrease in generated waste in the manufacturing industries (NACE C, notably C26-20). For more detailed descriptions see each NACE below. For waste types that are classified as confidential the publication of the statistic would run thw risk of disclosing confidential information regarding one or more reporting facilities/companies. For these waste types or waste type and treatment combination the changes have still been verified by SMED, but are not disclosed here. NACE A (01-03) The total amount of non-hazardous wastes in NACE A has increased from 940 600 tonnes in 2018 to 1 034 900 tonnes in 2020. This is mainly driven by a new method to measure vegetable wastes (09.2) in the agricultural sector (NACE 01), which SMED thinks gives a more correct result. An observable increase in manure (09.3) is also clear, correctly reported, and contributes to the overall increase of non-hazardous wastes. Vegetal waste (09.2): One major change in the reporting from NACE A is the inclusion of vegetal waste from codigesters, where substrate from NACE A is now included. This results in an increase of ca 40 000 tonnes of vegetal waste. This addition gives a more accurate result. Animal and mixed wastes (09.1): During 2020 there was an emergency inhibition of fishing for cod in the Baltic Sea resulting in a large decrease in 09.1 reported from the fishing industry. The amount dropped from 54 tonnes in 2018 to 2 tonnes in 2020. Glass wastes (07.1), mixed and undifferentiated wastes (10.2) and common sludges (11) have all increased because of an increase in the number of persons employed in the fishing industry. The change in other wastes (such as Batteries and accumulator wastes (08.41)) is a very small reduction in absolute numbers, but because of small amounts in the sector give large relative changes. The amounts of 08A and 08A* have also reduced, as a result of a reduction in the number of worked hours in the forestry industry. NACE B (05-09) The sector has had an increase in production according to the national authority Geological Survey of Swedish. They state that the production of ore was the highest ever, so therefore it is expected that the typical waste 12A (EWC 12.2, 12.3 and 12.5) is higher than in 2018. 12A (EWC 12.2, 12.3 and 12.5) Mineral wastes has increased with almost 8 million tonnes. The mining sector has large fluctuations between the years, and it is reflected mostly in this waste category, and as stated above the ore production was the highest ever. Also Hazardous waste 12A* (EWC 12.2, 12.3 and 12.5) has increased from almost nothing (20 tonnes) to almost 5 million tonnes. In the environmental reports, which SMED uses as a data source, the classification of a certain waste type has been unclear if hazardous or non-hazardous. Hence, this year we made an extra control with the companies about the classification of this waste, which led to a change to from non-hazardous to hazardous waste for several companies. This also gives a very large increase in total amounts of hazardous waste, but is the result of reclassification because of clarification from the facilities regarding this given type of waste. EWC 10.2 (mixed and undifferentiated materials) has a large decrease from 2018 (18 800 tonnes) to 10 700 tonnes in 2020. During the years there has been large fluctuations in this waste category. The sorting of waste can affect this waste category. The metal wastes 06.1 and 06.3 have decreased with about 6 000 tonnes and 2 000 tonnes respectively. There have been quite large fluctuations during the years, so this appears to be a sound decrease. Also, in 2018 there was a very high value for 06.1 (highest since 2010). 12.8A (Mineral wastes from waste treatment): There is a change in 12.8A but the waste type is classified as confidential. Both 12.1 and 12.1* (Mineral wastes from construction and demolition) have increased with about 1 700 tonnes resp 1 400 tonnes. This has been double checked and the change is correct. 07.5 (Wood wastes) has had a quite large increase, but SMED believes the change is sound, wooden waste can differ due to different projects etc. Also 07.5* had an increase of about 90 tonnes which is judged to be correct. 12.6* Hazardous soils has had a quite large decrease, about 600 tonnes. Large differences in soils are likely due to variations in different projects. 12.6 has instead an increase of about 20 tonnes which SMED also believes is sound for the same reason. 07.4, plastic waste, has had a decrease of about 400 tonnes. It is natural with large fluctuations here due to different degree of sorting of plastic wastes. 01.3* Hazardous oils, a decrease of 350 tonnes. There have been quite large fluctuations during the years and SMED believe this decrease is sound. 09.2 decreases from 81 tonnes to 0 tonnes. Vegetal waste is quite unusual in this sector. It has only appeared in 2018, all other years it has been 0. Therefore SMED believes the 0 is correct. 07.2. Paper waste. A decrease from 120 tonnes to about 60 tonnes. There have been large fluctuations in this sector during the years, the change is correctly reported. The other changes are small numerically (less than 10 tonnes) and SMED believes they are sound. NACE C10-12 The food, drink and tobacco processing industry (C10-12) reported a total amount of non-hazardous waste of 579 000 tonnes in 2020 compared to 699 400 tonnes in 2018. This is a reduction of 17%. The reduction is mainly due to a change in the handling of wet waste from a few producers, where the water content has now been removed from the reported waste (see 09.2 Vegetal waste). The amount of hazardous waste was 2 750 tonnes 2020 compared to 2 650 tonnes in 2018, that is a reduction of 3.6 % and must be considered a similar amount between years. Vegetal waste (09.2): Between 2018 and 2020 there has been a reduction of 118 000 tonnes. This is mainly driven by a removal of water from very watery wastes such as fruit water from rinsing pipes. 100 000 tonnes of water have been removed compared to comparable reporting in 2018. In 2020, 90 000 tonnes of vegetal waste were reported. Animal faeces, urine and manure (09.3): Between 2018 and 2020 there was an increase of 23 600 tonnes of animal faeces, urine and manure. There has been an increase in reporting from several facilities. In 2020, 66 300 tonnes of waste were reported. Mixed and undifferentiated materials (10.2): Mixed and undifferentiated materials have increased by approx. 10 000 tonnes between 2018 and 2020. The amount reported was 44 000 in 2018 and 54 000 tonnes in 2020. Many small increases lie behind this change. Paper and cardboard waste (07.2): Waste has decreased by 6 000 tonnes from 21 000 tonnes to 15 000 tonnes. The change is driven by many small changes. Changes in Metal wastes, ferrous, non-ferrous, and mixed ferrous and non-ferrous (06.1, 06.2 and 06.3): There seems to be changes in coding between the metal codes between the years. The total change is not significant. Textile wastes (07.6): Textile waste (bags) reported from more facilities in the sector. The increase is deemed sound. Common sludges (11): Increased from 14 600 to 19 000 tonnes between 2018 and 2020. This may be due to an effort to code sludges to EWC 11. A reported increase from actors is also clear. Sorting residues (10.3): Clarification in the environmental reports is likely behind the reduction in sorting residues. Household and similar wastes (10.1): A reduction in 10.1 (from 4 560 tonnes to 3 340 tonnes) is likely due to a shift to 10.2. The data has been verified at the facility-level. Chemical Wastes (02.A*): Has increased from 1 800 tonnes to 2 200 tonnes between 2018 and 2020. The data has been verified at the facility-level. Discarded equipment (08A and 08A*): A shift between hazardous and non-hazardous waste results in difference between years, but not in the total amount. Soils (12.6 and 12.6*): Variation in a variable waste type is to be expected. Fewer facilities had projects resulting in 12.6* type of waste in 2020 compared to 2018. Wood waste, hazardous (07.5*): The data has been verified at the facility-level. The increase is deemed sound. Industrial effluent sludges, hazardous (03.2*): The data has been verified at the facility-level. Healthcare and biological wastes (05*): There is a change in amount of this waste type, but the value of the waste type is classified as confidential for 2020. All other smaller changes are checked and are deemed to be correctly reported and/or may have overlapping intervals of estimated amounts. NACE C13-15 The reduction in Textile wastes (07.6) is directly proportional to the increase in Mixed and undifferentiated wastes (10.2) indicating that for the surveys and environmental reports a considerable proportion of the textile wastes were reported as combustible wastes. Variation in Construction and demolition wastes (12.1) between years are natural as construction projects vary in time. Plastic wastes (07.4) have reduced by a significant amount. Because no facility-level comparison is possible for this NACE it is impossible to say what this reduction is due to. Since four years have passed since the last survey changes are, however, to be expected. Because of a gap in the investigation of the NACE a comparison at microlevel/facility level is not possible, which makes it difficult to explain the remaining differences. Differences in waste amounts are to be expected, however. NACE C16 Data has been collected in a different way than before. We now use data from the environ-mental reports together with data from a survey. Therefore comparisons between earlier years must be done with caution. There are several waste types where there are very large differences between data for 2020 and earlier years. We believe that the method used for data for 2020 has better quality and therefore we assume that the results for 2020 are correct although there are large differences, in total for hazardous and non-hazardous as well as for several waste types. For comments on changes in specific waste types, see below. This year even more wood rest products have been classified as by-products and not waste. This gives a large difference in the total non-hazardous waste and also for EWC 07.5 wood waste. We believe the classification made regarding generated waste 2020 is accurate. In the case of Metal wastes EWC 06.1 and 06.2 the increase from 0 tonnes in 2018 is due to the fact that all metal was allocated to metal waste code 06.3. In the case of Animal and mixed food wastes EWC 09.1 there is an increase in the amount reported between 2018 and 2020. A general trend in Sweden is that also companies have separately collected food waste. This trend may be the explanation for this increase. There is a large decrease in hazardous Mixed and undifferentiated materials EWC 10.2*, which is expected. Waste treatment facilities continuously work towards reducing mixed wastes. Soil, both non-hazardous and hazardous, was 0 in 2018. For 2020 there are some thousand tonnes reported. This is due to the new survey for 2020, which gives SMED possibilities to get data for these waste types. NACE C17-18 The total amount of non-hazardous waste is very similar to 2018. The total in 2018 was about 1.5 million tonnes, and 2020 1.6 million tonnes. This is expected since the economic turnover has been very similar between the years, a small decrease (although we do not know that there is a straight correlation between turnover and waste, but it gives an indication). When it comes to total hazardous waste there is a very large decrease which mainly is due to a very large decrease of hazardous soils, a waste category with large variations historically, which SMED judges to be correctly reported. However, there are some changes in some specific waste categories which should be mentioned. A large increase occurs for 07.2 paper waste. All companies report this waste type and there are large variations, some have an increase other a decrease. The change in total seems to be OK. One of the largest differences between 2018 and 2020 is for EWC 12.4 (combustion wastes), with a 56 000 tonnes increase. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. There is a large decrease in EWC 03.2 (33 000 tonnes) and a large increase in EWC 11 (28 000 tonnes). It is hard to distinguish between 03.2 (Industrial effluent sludges) and 11 (common sludges). If you add these together, the sum is very similar between 2018 and 2020. For EWC 03.3 (Sludges and liquid wastes from waste treatment) there is a large decrease. 2018 was a year with a very high value, so a decrease was expected. The dry substance content gives large differences, and are sometimes difficult to verify. However, we believe the decrease is correct. Metals, EWC 06.1, 06.2 and 06.3: Together they are as in 2018. It is often difficult to choose the right metal code, which could be the explanation for the decrease of 06.1 and 06.2 and the increase of 06.3. For EWC 07.1 (glass waste) there is a rather large increase. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. For EWC 09.1 (animal and mixed waste) there is a large decrease. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. For EWC 09.2 (vegetal wastes) there is a large increase. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. For EWC 12.1 (Mineral waste from construction and demolition) there is a large increase. It is due to different building activities which can vary from one year to another, For soil, EWC 12.6 there is a quite large increase, but it is natural that this waste type fluctuates over the years. The amount is depending on current construction activities. EWC 12.7, dredging spoils has a large decrease. This is not a common waste type for this sector, so it was more unusual to have this waste in 2018. 0 ton is therefore an expected value. When it comes to hazardous waste there are several waste types which show an increase or decrease of more than 20 %. For quite a few of them (EWC 01.1 (spent solvents), (03.2 (industrial effluent sludges), 07.5 (wood wastes), 08 excl 08.41, 08.41 (Batteries), 12.6 (Soil), it is natural with large variations and hence we assess that the values are correct. During the years from 2010 and onwards there has been large variations for these waste types. For example, for EWC 08 large variations can be expected since companies can change a large part of the equipment (for example heavy electric equipment) a certain year and not another year. And for some waste types the values are very small which then gives large variations, this is the case with EWC 05 (healthcare and biological waste) and 12.4 (Combustion waste). For EWC 12.1 (Mineral wastes from construction and demolition) and 12.8 (Mineral wastes from waste treatment and stabilized waste) there is a very large increase. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. NACE C19 Total non-hazardous and hazardous: The non-hazardous waste has increased from 7 900 tonnes in 2018 to 58 800 tonnes in 2020. This increase is driven by an increase in 12.6 and 12.1 and due to construction work. Excluding these waste types gives an increase of 1 050 tonnes. Soils (12.6): There is a large increase (49 300 tonnes) driven by construction projects. Acid, alkaline or salt wastes (01.2*): The decrease in 01.2* (2 300 tonnes) between 2018 and 2020. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. Mineral waste from construction and demolition (12.1): There is a large increase in waste 12.1 (1 800 tonnes) driven by construction projects. Industrial effluent sludges (03.2*): The change has been verified in the facility-level data. Batteries and accumulators wastes (08.41*): The increase is as reported from facilities in the NACE (200 tonnes). Vegetal waste (09.2): There is a change in amount of this waste type, but the waste type is classified as confidential for WStatR 2022 so SMED cannot comment on the statistics. Other changes in NACE 19 result from small changes in absolute amounts that may still give relatively large percentage changes. NACE C20-22 Total Hazardous waste: Large decrease which is due to a decrease in 02A Chemical wastes, see below. SMED thinks the decrease is sound. 02A* Hazardous chemical wastes There is a change in amount of this waste type, but the waste type is classified as confidential for WStatR 2022 so SMED cannot comment on the statistics. Other large changes in hazardous waste: 12.6* Hazardous soils There is a change in amount of this waste type, but the waste type is classified as confidential for WStatR 2022 so SMED cannot comment on the statistics. 03.2* Hazardous industrial sludges Large increase. This is a consequence of the large decrease in 02A* having now been classified as 03.2*. All other companies have small variations between 2018 and 2020. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. Non hazardous waste: 03.2. Industrial sludges Large decrease. There are large variations between the companies, where some show an increase and others a decrease. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. 06.1. Metal Large decrease. It is often difficult to determine which of the metal codes is the most correct. However, the total amount of metals (06.1, 06.2 and 06.3) was 12 700 tonnes in 2018, and for 2020 the total is 10 000. SMED believes the change is correct for 06.1. 09.2. Vegetal wastes. Large decrease. The change is due mainly to a large decrease in one company. SMED believes the change is sound. NACE C23 This group of industries were previously surveyed regarding data year 2018. Data for year 2020 covers a period during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, some sectors have suffered more than others in terms of decrease of the economic turnover. It is expected that waste quantities follow the economic development. The economic turnover in this group of industries has increased by 1 percent from year 2018 to year 2020. Generated hazardous waste has decreased by 24 percent and generated non-hazardous waste has decreased by 23 percent. Some waste categories have increased, and some have decreased. The waste categories with the largest changes in quantities of generated waste from year 2018 to year 2020 are presented and explained by EWC-Stat category below. Decreasing quantities of generated waste: The most important waste categories in terms of quantities that have decreased are: 12.1 Mineral waste from construction and demolition: Waste quantity year 2020: 6 000 tonnes, decreasing by 81 %. Explanation: A group of facilities are showing a decrease of waste quantities, which is deemed to be correct. 12A Other mineral waste: Waste quantity year 2020: 23 400 tonnes, decreasing by 50 %. Explanation: The change has been verified in the facility-level data. 07.5 Wood wastes: Waste quantity year 2020: 16 300 tonnes, decreasing by 22 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occuring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 06.1 Metal waste, ferrous: Waste quantity year 2020: 6 900 tonnes, decreasing by 30 %. Explanation: The waste classification among of the EWC-Stat categories 06.1 (Metal waste, ferrous), 06.2 (Metal waste, non-ferrous) and 06.3 (Metallic wastes, mixed ferrous and non-ferrous) are a bit uncertain. The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 12.4* Combustion wastes*: Waste quantity year 2020: 700 tonnes, decreasing by 63 %. Explanation: A group of facilities are showing a decrease of waste quantities, which is deemed to be correct. 11 Common sludges: Waste quantity year 2020: 40 tonnes, decreasing by 91 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 12A* Other mineral wastes*: There is a change in amount of this waste type, but the waste type is classified as confidential for WStatR 2022 so SMED cannot comment on the statistics. 01.2* Acid, alkaline or salt wastes*: Waste quantity year 2020: 100 tonnes, decreasing by 42 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 08A Discarded equipment Waste quantity year 2020: 3 tonnes, decreasing by 96 %. Explanation: Due to the low quantity of the change between year 2018 and year 2020, the change is considered to be insignificant. The change may be correct, or a result of minor errors in the incoming data from the reporting companies, or a result of the statistical sampling. 07.3 Rubber waste Waste quantity year 2020: 0 tonnes, decreasing by 100 %. Explanation: Due to the low quantity of the change between year 2018 and year 2020, the change is considered to be insignificant. The change may be correct, or a result of minor errors in the incoming data from the reporting companies, or a result of the statistical sampling. Other waste categories that have decreased in quantity are regarded as insignificant. Increasing quantities of generated waste: The most important waste categories in terms of quantities that have increased are: 12.4 Combustion wastes: Waste quantity year 2020: 21 000 tonnes, increasing by 47 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 12.6 Soils: Waste quantity year 2020: 7 300 tonnes, increasing by 159 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 10.2 Mixed and undifferentiated materials: Waste quantity year 2020: 19 600 tonnes, increasing by 30 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 01.2 Acid, alkaline or salt wastes: Waste quantity year 2020: 8800 tonnes, increasing by 169 %. Explanation: The change has been verified in the facility-level data. 12.7 Dredging spoils: Waste quantity year 2020: 500 tonnes, increasing from 0 tonnes. Explanation: The change has been verified in the facility-level data. 07.4 Plastic wastes: Waste quantity year 2020: 1 200 tonnes, increasing by 69 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 02A* Chemical wastes*: Waste quantity year 2020: 800 tonnes, increasing by 79 %. Explanation: The change origins mostly from two plants that have increased the waste quantities from year 2018 to year 2020. 03.2* Industrial effluent sludges*: Waste quantity year 2020: 300 tonnes, increasing by 454 %. Explanation: The change origins mostly from a single plant that has increased the waste quantity from year 2018 to year 2020. Other waste categories that have increased in quantity are regarded as insignificant. NACE C24-25 The sum of hazardous waste has decreased with 32 000 tonnes, or 15,6 % between 2018 and 2020. The biggest waste category that contributes to this difference is Combustion waste (12.4*), which has decreased with 25 000 tonnes (33 %). The sum of non-hazardous waste has decreased with 26 000 tonnes, or 3% between 2018 and 2020. The biggest waste category that contributes to this difference is Combustion waste (12.4) that have decreased with 59 000 tonnes (14 %). EWC 12.4* Combustion wastes continues to decrease and is now 50 200 tonnes. In 2018 the amount was 75 400 tonnes, a decrease with 33 %. The decrease is mainly due to a general decrease at all companies that have a lot of waste of this type. EWC 03.2* Industrial effluent sludges has decreased by 3 800 tonnes since the previous measurement and is now 7 600 tonnes. In 2018 the amount was 11 400 tonnes, a decrease with 34 %. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. EWC 02A* Chemical wastes has increased by 3 600 tonnes to 15 900 tonnes since the previous measurement. An increase of 29 %. In 2018, the amount was 12 300 tonnes. The change is verified and ok. If you look at the more long-term trend, the quantities are back to the level from 2014. The quantities therefore do not stand out this year despite this increase. However, the quantities are well below the levels from 2010 and 2012. EWC 12.6* Soils more than doubled from the previous measurement and are now 4 600 tonnes. It is an increase of 135 %. In 2018 the amount was 2 000 tonnes. The change is verified and is ok. EWC 03.3* Sludges and liquid wastes from waste treatment has increased significantly since the previous measurement, from 60 tonnes 2018 to 1 470 tonnes 2020. The change is verified and is ok. EWC 12.4 Combustion wastes continues to decrease and is now 370 700 tonnes. In 2018 the amount was 430 100 tonnes. It is a decrease with 14 %. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. EWC 12A Other mineral wastes has increased from 35 700 to 60 000 tonnes between 2018 and 2020. It is an increase of 68 %. There are more companies reporting waste of this type this time. One company reports much more waste than before and contribute greatly to the increase. EWC 10.2 Mixed and undifferentiated materials has continued to decrease. This type of waste has decreased by 21 200 tonnes compared to 2018, and is now 28 300 tonnes. This is a decrease of 43 %. There are fewer companies that have this type of waste 2020 than 2018 which contributes to the reduction. EWC 06.2 Metallic wastes, non-ferrous increases with 9 000 tonnes to 39 500 tonnes 2020. That is an increase of 30%. There are slightly more facilities in 2020 compared with 2018 that have registered this type of waste. There are also companies that have increased their amount of waste of this type, contributing to the increase. Sometimes it is hard to decide if the waste shall be coded with EWC 6.1, EWC 6.2 or EWC 6.3, therefore it can be of interest to compare the total sum of these three codes. Looking at the total sum of these three codes, the quantity increases from 309 800 tonnes to 319 700 tonnes. It is an increase of 3 %. EWC 12.1 Mineral waste from construction and demolition has decreased by 5 600 tonnes since 2018 to 7 900 tonnes. That is a decrease of 42 %. The change is verified. This is a type of waste that companies can have a lot of one year and a little of another year. EWC 12.7 Dredging spoils (dry weight) has increased from 0 tonnes 2018 to 2 400 tonnes 2020. The change has been verified. EWC 03.3 Sludges and liquid wastes from waste treatment has increased to 1 300 tonnes 2020. The amount 2018 was 100 tonnes. The change has been verified and is ok. EWC 03.2 Industrial effluent sludges continue to decrease and remain at the low level recorded in 2018. This year, 1 000 tonnes were registered. That is a decrease with 48 %. In 2018 there was 1 800 tonnes. The decrease is due to the fact that fewer companies have registered this type of waste 2020, and each company generally has slightly smaller amounts than before. All other changes of the amount of waste between 2018 and 2020 have been verified and are ok. NACE C26-30 This group of industries were previously surveyed regarding data year 2018. Data for year 2020 covers a period when the COVID-19 pandemic was ongoing. Some sectors have because of this suffered more than others in terms of decrease of the economic turnover. It is expected that waste quantities follow the economic development. The economic turnover in this group of industries has decreased by 8 percent from year 2018 to year 2020. Generated hazardous waste has decreased by 7 percent and generated non-hazardous waste has decreased by 28 percent. The decrease of the waste quantities is verified by several data control steps. The changes are going in different directions for different waste categories. The waste categories with the largest changes in quantities of generated waste from year 2018 to year 2020 are presented and explained by EWC-Stat category below. Decreasing quantities of generated waste: The most important waste categories in terms of quantities that have decreased are: 06.1 Metal waste, ferrous: Waste quantity year 2020: 115 900 tonnes, decreasing by 62 %. Explanation: There is a decrease of metal waste as a whole. The waste classification among the EWC-Stat categories 06.1 (Metal waste, ferrous), 06.2 (Metal waste, non-ferrous) and 06.3 (Metallic wastes, mixed ferrous and non-ferrous) may be more uncertain. 12A Other mineral wastes: Waste quantity year 2020: 94 200 tonnes, decreasing by 25 %. Explanation: The change has been verified in the facility-level data. 10.2 Mixed and undifferentiated materials: Waste quantity year 2020: 50 900 tonnes, decreasing by 22 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 01.3* Used oils*: Waste quantity year 2020: 34 500 tonnes, decreasing by 17 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 06.2 Metal waste, non-ferrous: Waste quantity year 2020: 7 800.4 tonnes, decreasing by 43 %. Explanation: There is a decrease of the quantities of metal waste as a whole. The waste classification among the EWC-Stat categories 06.1 (Metal waste, ferrous), 06.2 (Metal waste, non-ferrous) and 06.3 (Metallic wastes, mixed ferrous and non-ferrous) may be more uncertain. 07.4 Plastic wastes: Waste quantity year 2020: 5 000 tonnes, decreasing by 50 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occuring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 10.2* Mixed and undifferentiated materials*: Waste quantity year 2020: 160 tonnes, decreasing by 97 %. Explanation: The change has been verified in the facility-level data. 12.6 Soils: Waste quantity year 2020: 1 800 tonnes, decreasing by 70 %. Explanation: The change has been verified in the facility-level data. 12.1* Mineral waste from construction and demolition*: Waste quantity year 2020: 600 tonnes, decreasing by 72 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 02A Chemical wastes: Waste quantity year 2020: 2 400 tonnes, decreasing by 22 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 03.2* Industrial effluent sludges*: Waste quantity year 2020: 1 100 tonnes, decreasing by 36 %. Explanation: The change has been verified in the facility-level data. 08A* Discarded equipment*: Waste quantity year 2020: 1 700 tonnes, decreasing by 25 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 07.5* Wood wastes*: Waste quantity year 2020: 660 tonnes, decreasing by 41 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 01.1* Spent Solvents*: Waste quantity year 2020: 240.1 tonnes, decreasing by 59 %. Explanation: The change has been verified in the facility-level data. 01.2 Acid, alkaline or salt wastes: Waste quantity year 2020: 70 tonnes, decreasing by 75 %. Explanation: The change has been verified in the facility-level data. 09.1 Animal and mixed food waste of food preparation and products Waste quantity year 2020: 541, 6 tonnes, decreasing by 23 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. Other waste categories that have decreased in quantity are regarded as insignificant. Increasing quantities of generated waste: The most important waste categories in terms of quantities that have increased are: 12.6* Soils*: Waste quantity year 2020: 10 072.3 tonnes, increasing by 3 487 %. Explanation: The change has been verified in the facility-level data. 12.1 Mineral waste from construction and demolition: Waste quantity year 2020: 11 046.3 tonnes, increasing by 232 %. Explanation: The change has been verified in the facility-level data. 12.4* Combustion wastes *: There is a change in amount of this waste type, but the waste type is classified as confidential for WStatR 2022 so SMED cannot comment on the statistics. 08A Discarded equipment: Waste quantity year 2020: 1 778.3 tonnes, increasing by 90 %. Explanation: The change from year 2018 to year 2020 may be a result of random errors occurring when sampling respondents, since the intervals of uncertainty for the year 2018 and year 2020 are overlapping. 07.1 Glass waste: Waste quantity year 2020: 1 128.8 tonnes, increasing by 258 %. Explanation: The change has been verified in the facility-level data. 12A* Other mineral waste*: Waste quantity year 2020: 749.0 tonnes, increasing by 180 %. Explanation: The change has been verified in the facility-level data. 03.2 Industrial effluent sludges: Waste quantity year 2020: 349.1 tonnes, increasing by 181 %. Explanation: The change origins mostly from two plants that have increased the waste quantities from year 2018 to year 2020. Other waste categories that have increased in quantity are regarded as insignificant. NACE C31-33 Two companies have been removed from SNI 31-33 since the last survey. Those companies have a large amount of waste all together (55 500 tonnes) which affects the total sum of waste. The largest impact can be observed in EWC 06.1, EWC 12A and EWC 10.2, but those companies have waste in a total of 30 EWCs. The sum of hazardous waste has decreased with 5 600 tonnes, or 39 % between 2018 and 2020. The biggest waste category that contributes to this difference is the Chemical wastes (EWC 02A*), that have decreased with 6 900 tonnes (61.5%). The sum of non-hazardous waste has decreased with 76 500 tonnes, or 54 % between 2018 and 2020. The waste category that contributes the most to this difference is Other mineral wastes (EWC 12A) that have decreased with 27 000 tonnes (96.1 %). EWC 12A Other mineral wastes has decreased with 27 000 tonnes, or 96 % between 2018 and 2020. One company with a lot of waste in this category has been removed from this sector and stands for most of the decrease. Sometimes it is hard to decide if the waste shall be coded with EWC 6.1 Metal wastes, ferrous, EWC 6.2 Metal wastes, non-ferrous or EWC 6.3 Metal wastes, mixed ferrous and non-ferrous, therefore it can be of interest to compare the total sum of these three codes. Looking at the sum of these three codes the quantity decreased from 62 500 tonnes to 17 000 tonnes, a decrease of 73 %. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. EWC 07.5 Wood wastes has decreased with 7 000 tonnes, or 37 % between 2018 and 2020. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. EWC 02A* Chemical wastes has decreased with 7 000 tonnes, or 62 % between 2018 and 2020. A few of the companies with large amounts of waste of this type in 2018 reported very low amounts or nothing 2020 for this EWC. This together stands for the decrease. EWC 10.1 Household and similar wastes has increased with 1 300 tonnes, or 67 % between 2018 and 2020. There are more companies that have this kind of waste 2020 than 2018. EWC 07.4 Plastic waste has decreased with 650 tonnes, or 37 % between 2018 and 2020. The picture is that many companies together cause the decrease, not a single company. EWC 12A* Other mineral waste has increased with 650 tonnes between 2018 and 2020. It is an increase by a factor 20. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. EWC 12.1 Mineral waste from construction and demolition has increased with 550 tonnes, or 114 % between 2018 and 2020. This is a kind of waste that can vary between the years. There has been a large increase at one company 2020. EWC 01.2* Acid, alkaline or saline wastes has increased with 550 tonnes, or 99 % between 2018 and 2020. It is nearly the same number of companies that have reported this type of waste in 2018 and 2020. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. EWC 03.3 Sludges and liquid wastes from waste treatment has increased from 0 tonnes 2018 to 500 tonnes 2020. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. EWC 02A Chemical waste has increased with 475 tonnes, or 59 % between 2018 and 2020. More companies have reported this type of waste 2020 than 2018. EWC 12.4 Combustion wastes has decreased with 470 tonnes, or 75 % between 2018 and 2020. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. EWC 08A Discarded equipment (Excl. EWC 08.1 and EWC 08.41) has increased with 409 tonnes, or 283 % between 2018 and 2020. There are more companies that have reported this kind of waste 2020 than 2018. EWC 12.6 Soils has increased with 333 tonnes, or 422 % between 2018 and 2020. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. EWC 08.41* Batteries and accumulators waste has increased with 280 tonnes, or 293% between 2018 and 2020. There are more companies that have reported this type of waste 2020 than 2018 combined with one company with a bigger amount of waste of this kind 2020 than 2018.? EWC 01.1* Spent solvents has increased with 280 tonnes, or 1 716% between 2018 and 2020. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. EWC 07.5* Wood wastes has increased with 230 tonnes, or 86% between 2018 and 2020. There are more companies that report this type of waste 2020 than 2018. EWC 09.1 Animal and mixed food waste has decreased with 105 tonnes, or 63% between 2018 and 2020. There are fewer companies 2020 than 2018 with this type of waste. Also, a few companies with much of this type of waste 2018 do not report this type of waste 2020. EWC 12.1* Construction and demolition wastes has increased with 100 tonnes, or 33% between 2018 and 2020. This is a type of waste that can vary much from year to year at the companies. Changes in the total amount of waste between years are expected. Other changes within the EWC codes vary but contribute less to the bigger picture and will not be described in detail. NACE D35 Looking at the big waste streams, compared to 2018, there was a decrease of 4 000 tonnes in EWC-stat 6.1, metal waste, corresponding to 22 %. In EWC-Stat 6.3 metal waste, there was a decrease of 1 200 tonnes. In EWC-stat 7.2 (paper and cardboard waste) there was a decrease of 2 000 tonnes which corresponds to 34 %. There was a decrease of 12 000 tonnes in EWC-Stat 10.2 (mixed and undifferentiated wastes), corresponding to 32 % while in EWC 11(common sludges) there was a decrease of 900 tonnes which correspond to 38 %. In EWC 12.6 (soils) there was a decrease of 5 400 tonnes which correspond to 39 %. The total amount of generated waste decreased by 3 % as compared to 2018. NACE E36, 37, 39 No major changes, due to that data are largely reused. NACE E38 Waste collection, treatment and disposal activities; materials recovery; and G46.77 Wholesale of waste and scrap The wastes reported as generated in E38 and G46.77 are to the predominant part secondary wastes generated from pre-treatment and treatment of wastes. The largest uncertainties depend on uncertainties in the interpretation of what is a secondary waste (that has changed properties in the treatment/pre-treatment) and what is waste that has only been stored and transferred (has not changed properties in the treatment/pre-treatment plant). The explanations to the major changes are in many cases the same for G46.77 as for E38 because the same method and the same data sources are used. A difference between E38 and G46.77, however, is that the calculated scale-up influences G46.77 more since the entire sector is concerned. In E38 only 38.3 is up-scaled (not 38.1-38.2). The facilities investigated in E38 and G46.77 have been taken from the register of environmentally hazardous activities in the Swedish Portal for Environmental Reporting (SMP), operated by the county administrative boards and the Swedish EPA. Overall, the change in the generation of total non-hazardous waste for NACE E38 has decreased from 6 729 200 tonnes to 5 948 000 tonnes. This is a decrease with 781 200 tonnes (12 %). This decrease seems to be caused mainly by large decreases in the generation of sorting wastes (10.3) metal wastes (6.1, 6.2, and 6.3) mineral waste from waste treatment and stabilized waste (12.8A) and other mineral wastes (12A). The generation of sorting wastes (10.3) has decreased from 2 649 000 tonnes to 2 365 000 tonnes. This is a decrease by 284 000 tonnes (11 %). This decrease seems to be mainly due to a decrease in the pretreatment of waste. The generation of metal wastes (6.1, 6.2, 6.3) has decreased from 1 765 500 tonnes to 1 511 000 tonnes. This is a decrease by 254 000 tonnes (24 %). This decrease seems to be mainly due to decreases in secondary generation of metal wastes. The change has been verified in the facility-level reported data. The generation of mineral waste from waste treatment and stabilized waste (12.8A) has decreased from 767 400 tonnes to 535 000 tonnes. This is a decrease by 232 000 tonnes (30 %). The change has been verified in the facility-level reported data. The generation of other mineral waste (12A) has decreased from 565 000 tonnes to 471 000 tonnes. This is a decrease by 94 000 tonnes (17 %) The change has been verified in the facility-level reported data. The total generation of hazardous waste for NACE E38 has increased from 485 000 tonnes to 619 000 tonnes. This is an increase by 134 000 tonnes (28 %). The increase seems to be mainly due to increases in oil waste* (01.3*), chemical waste* (02A*) and wood waste* (07.5*). The generation of mineral waste from oil waste* (01.3*) has increased from 66 000 tonnes to 131 000 tonnes. This is an increase by 65 000 tonnes (99 %). The change has been verified in the facility-level reported data. The generation of chemical waste* (02A*) has increased from 155 000 tonnes to 205 000 tonnes. This is an increase by 50 000 tonnes (32 %). The change has been verified in the facility-level reported data. The generation of wood waste (07.5*) has increased from 67 000 tonnes to 113 000 tonnes. This is an increase by 46 000 tonnes (70 %). The change has been verified in the facility-level reported data. The total generation of hazardous waste for G46.77 has decreased from 35 400 tonnes to 35 600 tonnes. This is a decrease by 800 tonnes (2 %), which can be considered negligible when taken into account the uncertainty in the data. The total generation of non-hazardous waste for G 46.77 has decreased from 569 400 tonnes to 234 000 tonnes. This is a decrease by 335 000 tonnes (59 %). This decrease seems to be mostly due to large decreases in the generation of metal wastes (6.1, 6.2, 6.3) and sorting wastes (10.3). The decrease has been verified in the facility-level reported data. The generation of metal wastes (6.1, 6.2, 6.3) has decreased from 360 100 tonnes to 145 400 tonnes, this is a decrease of 214 700 tonnes (60 %). This decrease seems to be mainly due to decreases in secondary generation of metal wastes. The change has been verified in the facility-level reported data. The generation of sorting wastes (10.3) has decreased from 116 600 tonnes to 44 500 tonnes, this is a decrease of 71 500 tonnes (62 %). The change has been verified in the facility-level reported data. NACE F41-43 The total amount 2020 was close to 13.5 million tonnes, compared to 12.5 million tonnes in 2018 and 10.7 million tonnes in 2016. The increase in the total waste, both between 2018 and 2020 and between 2016 och 2020, are larger than expected from the economic development. The largest changes of waste inn F41-43 between 2018 and 2020 are:
- 07.5 Wood waste. The amount has increased with 277 000 tonnes or 42 %. A large part of the increase depends on import of wood waste, and the actual amount generated is therefore less.
- 12.6 Soils. The amount has increased with 421 000 tonnes or 5 %. The change has been verified in the facility-level data.
- Metal wastes 06.1, 06.2 and 06.3 together has a slight increase. Several facilities report slightly increased amounts of metal wastes. The change has been verified in the facility-level data.
- 07.1 Glass waste and 07.4 Plastic waste have increased 24 % respectively 59 %. It is a high percentage increase but low amounts (1 500 tonnes of glass waste and 400 tonnes of plastic waste). From 1 July 2020 there is a rule that all construction and demolition sites have to sort glass waste and plastic waste at source. The decreased amount is probably a result of this rule (This rule states that WEEE, hazardous wastes (not mixed), wood waste combustible waste, metals (different metals separated), mineral wastes, excavated soils, asphalt, mineral wool glass and plastic shall be managed and collected separately at the construction site),
- 07.7 H Wastes containing PCB. The amount has decreased. It is a small quantity and the amount usually vary from year to year depending on the projects. PCB have been prohibited from 1980.
- 12.1 Mineral waste from construction and demolition. The amount has increased nearly 300 000 tonnes or 11 %. The EWC-Stat category includes also “clean” and unmixed wastes for material recovery: concrete, plasterboard, tiles, bricks and similar. However, bot the clean and mixed fractions seem to have increased, so even if more materials are sorted out (in tonnes), the percentage of material sorted out seems to be about the same 2018 and 2020. The change has been verified in the facility-level data.
- 12.6H Soils containing hazardous substances (contaminated soil) has decreased with 190 000 tonnes or 32%. The change has been verified in the facility-level data.
- 12AH Other mineral waste containing hazardous substances. This is asbestos waste and has increased 12 000 tonnes or 50 %. The change has been verified in the facility-level data.
Changes in 12.7 and 12.7H Dredging spoils. The amounts of dredging spoils are mostly based on information from the Swedish agency for Marine and Water management, where the following trends have been reported.
|
2016 |
2018 |
2020 |
Amount of dredging spoils (EWC-Stat 12.7), tonnes |
1 352 600 |
654 900 |
1 503 100 |
The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management collects data about all dredging projects in Swedish Coastal waters. The Agency collects data from county councils as a part of the international conventions HELCOM and OSPAR. The figures use to vary a lot from one year to another, depending on the actual dredging projects going on. NACE G-U XG46.77 All fractions of hazardous waste, except 08.1*, have reported major changes. The same goes for the total amount of hazardous waste. This is due to a change in methodology. The new method relies on mandatory reporting by all companies generating hazardous waste. Estimates reported for 2018 and earlier were based on a small sample. In addition, the nonresponse rate was high and no relevant auxiliary information was available, and hence the estimates were uncertain. This year, no waste has been reported on waste codes 01.2, 02A, 03.2, 08.1, 08.41 or 10.3, although small amounts have been reported previous years. This is due to variations in generation and reporting from few sources. These are also types of waste that are more often reported as hazardous waste. Similar to the above, 08A The data has been verified at the facility-level. 06.1, 12.4, 12.6 and 12.8A have changed much in ratio but not in amount, due to variations in generation and reporting from few sources. 07.1 Glass wastes has increased due to increase in collected amounts of glass packaging. 07.4 Plastic wastes has decreased much due to smaller amounts of calculated plastic packaging from the sector. The calculation is based on two sets of register data. Those data are developed using different methods and may not correlate, increasing variation between years for this sector. 07.5 wood wastes has decreased much due to new definitions of waste treatment for wood packaging. 10.2 Mixed and undifferentiated materials has increased due to variations in generation and reporting from few sources, in this case ports. 11 Common sludges has decreased considerably, variations in generation and reporting from few sources, in this case ports. 12.1 Mineral waste from construction and demolition has decreased considerably. This is due to large amounts being collected by municipalities that are now considered to actually belong to the construction sector and has not been allocated to this sector this year. HOUSEHOLDS Major changes in the amount of generated waste from households regarding WStatR2022 compared to WStatR 2020 are listed below: - The amount of waste collected at the recycling centres has generally increased for almost all bulky fractions, in general at around 10 % or more (e.g. for glass, non-hazardous wood, metal, etc.). The largest increase was seen in generation of Hazardous Wood waste category (07.5) by 21 300 tonnes (or 43 %) compared to WstatR 2020. According to the Swedish waste management association, cleaning and rebuilding of private houses during the pandemic period were among the main reasons for the increased collection of bulky waste at the recycling centres. - Quantities of lead-acid batteries (08.41 and 08.41 *) have increased by 1 100 tonnes (non-hazardous) and 2 000 tonnes (hazardous) since WstatR 2020 (48 % for hazardous and 43 % for non-hazardous). The increase is probably due to the same reasons as for all bulky waste mentioned above. In addition, the distribution of waste generated by households and operational waste is very uncertain. It could simply be that more waste within professional activities was allocated to the household sector. - The amount of vegetal waste generated (09.2), which in practice is garden waste collected at recycling centres, has increased to 94 300 tonnes or by 27 000 tonnes compared to WstatR 2020. This may have depended on the weather conditions facilitating more vegetation and partly because of the pandemic related restrictions with households spending more time at home and spending more own time for gardening instead of hiring professionals. WASTE TREATMENT The major differences in waste treatment between 2018 and 2020 have four main explanations:
- real changes in amounts of treated waste,
- differences due to methodological changes or changes in interpretation,
- differences due to improved coverage rate and
- differences related to measurement errors.
Below is an overview of the largest changes observed for the treatment categories Recycling, Other recovery and Disposal and the underlying causes for the observed changes. Recycling here means recovery where the same material is recycled (paper waste to paper, rubber waste to rubber and so on). Other recovery means other recovery operation than recycling and backfilling, and includes energy recovery. This analysis is based on the statistics of waste treatment excluding treatment of mining wastes (rocks and tailings). This is because those wastes are arisen in huge quantities and will dominate the statistics of waste treatment, especially landfilling, other disposal and material recovery including backfilling. In this analysis the presentation of the waste treatment categories is more detailed than in the WStatR reporting to EU, so biological recovery (composting and anaerobic digestion) and backfilling are presented separately from material recovery. We have also included preparatory treatment which is not included in the WStatR reporting. This has been done to make it easier to do relevant analyses of the development of the waste treatment. It should also be added that the primary data collection is more detailed which leads to, for example, that material recovery is split up into anaerobic digestion, composting, spreading on land, conventional material recycling, recovery as construction material and backfilling. The discussion below is divided into two parts. First, changes in each treatment category are analysed and discussed, and then changes in each waste category (EWC-Stat). It is to a large part the same underlying data, but the data is analysed from two perspectives. Changes in waste treatment Use as fuel (incineration with energy recovery) The total amount of hazardous waste used as fuel has decreased with 119 000 tonnes between 2018 and 2020. The data has been verified at the facility-level. The total amount of non-hazardous waste used as fuel has increased slightly between 2018 and 2020. There are new incineration facilities that have been taken into operation between 2018 and 2020. Waste incineration facilities also import combustible waste from other countries, for example U.K. and Norway. Incineration of 10.1 Household waste has decreased slightly. The same tendency is reported by Waste Management Sweden who presents statistics on management of municipal waste. There is an increase of 10.2 Mixed and undifferentiated materials, and a decrease of 10.3 Sorting residues. Often the respondents do not differ between those two categories, and report them as business waste, independent if the waste has been sorted and mechanically treated at a waste facility or is only presorted at source. The sum of 10.2 and 10.3 has increased, which is in accordance with an increasing waste incineration capacity in Sweden. A large part of the 10.2 and 10.3 waste is imported waste from other European countries. Incineration on land (incineration without energy recovery) There is a distinct decrease in the amount of incinerated 02A* Chemical wastes. One chemical industry reported 37 900 tonnes of incinerated in 2018 but changed the waste classification to non-hazardous 03.3. It is called “process water” and contains different organic chemicals. In 2018 the total wet weight was accounted, but in 2020 only the dry content. The data has been verified at the facility-level. Backfilling (excluding mining waste) The total amount of backfilled waste has increased with more than 1.7 million tonnes. The largest increases are 06.2 Soil and 12.1 Mineral waste from construction and demolition. Several bigger facilities have reported considerably more 12.6 to backfilling in 2020 than in 2018. There is also a decrease in the amount of materially recovered 12.6 Soils, so some of the changes depend on changes in the classification of the waste treatment. Backfilling become implemented in the Swedish waste legislation in 2018, and this implementation should have influenced how the treatment is classified. Also 12.1 Mineral waste from construction and demolitions has increased between 2018 and 2020. There are several bigger facilities that report backfilling of 12.1 Mineral waste from construction and demolition in 2020, but not in 2018. Also, the total amount of treated 12.1 has increased with about 100 000 tonnes between 2018 and 2020, and there are several bigger facilities that report larger amounts of 12.1 in 2020 than in 2018. There is also an increase in backfilling of 12.8 Mineral waste from waste treatment and stabilized wastes. It is mainly bottom ash and slag from waste incineration. The data has been verified at the facility-level. More than 61 000 tonnes of chemical waste (W02A) is used for backfilling. This waste is "green liquor dredge" (Grönlutslam in Swedish) with LoW code: 03 03 02, a waste product from the paper industry and which can be used in / treated by backfilling. The composition and properties of the dredge are similar to ashes from biofuels. Several tests have shown that the green liquor sludge can be used in this way. In 2020, There are 3 facilities in Sweden that reported backfilling of green liquor dredge. (From: http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A887027&dswid=650: Green liquor is produced when chemicals are recovered in the kraft pulp process. The industrial formed green liquor contains a solid, non-solvable phase, called green liquor dregs and are removed either by filtration, or by sedimentation. For more information: Tags - Luleå University of Technology (ltu.se)) Recycling Recycling is here divided into several sub-categories: biological recovery and other recycling including use as construction material. In the following discussion mining wastes are excluded (mining waste may affect the other recycling, including use as construction material) Anaerobic digestion and composting (biological recovery) The total amount of waste treated by anaerobic digestion and composting is increasing. There is a national environmental goal that states: “in 2023 more than 75 percent of food wastes from households, commercial kitchens, shops and restaurants shall be treated biologically so nutrients and biogas can be recovered”. There are also special policy instruments to support this development, for example financial support to new biogas facilities. The total amount of waste to anaerobic digestion and composting has increased between 2018 and 2020. For several wastes there are also tendencies to transfer wastes from composting to anaerobic digestion. Especially 09.1 Animal and mixed food waste is increasing (“food waste” according to the environmental goal is included in 09.1) and especially the amounts to anaerobic digestion are increasing. Material recovery (including recovery as construction material – excluding wastes from mining) In this treatment category we have included mainly the recovery operations R2 – R11, but excluded backfilling (that is a sub-category to R3 and R5). Treatment of mining waste is excluded from this section. Conventional material recycling This category of material recovery includes recycling of waste when the material is recycled to the same material and use, for example metal recycling, paper recycling, plastic recycling and glass recycling. Conventional recycling has decreased between 2018 and 2020. Above all, it is the recycling of 06.1 Metal wastes, ferrous that has decreased considerably. One reason for this decrease is, probably, how the facilities report, or rather do not report, end-of-waste criteria. The metal wastes are usually transported to a sorting plant, which may also include mechanical treatment and storage. It is expected that a large part of the metal waste should fulfil the end-of-waste criteria when leaving the sorting plant. However, only a few facilities have referred to the end-of-waste criteria in their environmental reports. The sorted waste, or material fulfilling the end-of-waste criteria is then transported to steelworks and other metal works, and they do not report it as waste, not even as “end-of-waste scrap”. If the metal waste reaches the end-of-waste stage at the sorting facilities, the recycling should be allocated to the sorting facilities, but in their environmental reports it is not possible to identify when or if the material has gained the end-of-waste stage. Conventional recycling of 07.2 Paper and cardboard wastes has decreased. This decrease is in accordance with the development of the pulp and paper industry. The Swedish Forest Industries Federation reports that the production of recycled pulp decreased from 662 000 tonnes in 2018 to 532 000 tonnes in 2020. Also, the total production of paper and cardboard decreased from 10.4 million tonnes in 2018 to 9.7 million tonnes in 2020. Material recovery of 09.2 vegetal wastes has decreased. Also, the overall treatment of 09.2 has decreased. About 20.000 tonnes were used in 2018 for final landfill cover, and the landfill wasclosed in the end of 2018. Those 20.000 tonnes or corresponding amount in 2020 seem to have disappeared from the waste statistics and cannot be traced to other facilities or other treatments. There are also less quantities treated in the connection to food industry which probably depends on that more residues from the food industry have been classified as by-products in 2020. Material recovery as construction material Material recovery (including recovery as construction material) has decreased. To a part this can be explained by increased backfilling. Backfilling was implemented in Swedish waste legislation in 2018 but was used from 2016 in reporting of construction and demolition wastes. The implementation of backfilling in the legislation should have influenced the respondents (for other wastes than C&D waste) to report backfilling rather than material recovery. However, the difference between material recovery and backfilling is difficult. We have recommendations that state that material recovery as construction material is when the use of waste requires special technical specifications (for example material composition, particle size, hydraulic conductivity and others), and backfilling when it doesn’t matter what material is used. Another challenge, in this context, is that backfilling is a sub-category to R3 (material recovery of organic substances) and R5 (material recovery of inorganic substances). Recovery of construction material is classified as R3 or R5 depending on the waste, and thus backfilling will be a sub-category to use as construction material. The transfer of treatment from material recovery to backfilling is noticeable for 12.6 Soils and 12.6H Soils containing hazardous substances. For both 12.6 and 12.6H there is also an increase in landfilling while the material recovery is decreasing. There are several larger facilities (municipal landfills) that have reported decreased quantities of material recovery as construction material and instead increased quantities of landfilled waste and/or backfilled waste. There are also facilities that have developed the opposite and reported increased amounts to material recovery as construction material and decreased backfilling or landfilling, but they are fewer. Material recovery as construction material of 12.4: There is a change in waste type and treatment combination, but the waste type and treatment combination is classified as confidential. SMED cannot comment on the statistics here, though the change has been verified. Material recovery of 12.6 Soils has decreased but there is a corresponding increase in Backfilling, so this change is mainly explained by the transition from material recover to backfilling, already discussed above in the section about backfilling. Material recovery of 12.6H Contaminated soils has decreased. This decrease seems to be balanced by an almost equal increase in landfilling. This may depend on harder regulations on the management of contaminated soils. Landfilling (excluding mining wastes) Landfilling of non-hazardous waste has increased with about 6% between 2018 and 2020. It is mainly 12.1 Mineral waste from construction and demolition, 12A Other mineral wastes, and 12.6 Soils that have increased. Data for 12.1 and 12.6 are collected in a special C&D waste inquiry, and the data should be reliable. The data has been verified at the facility-level. There is also a decrease of landfilling of 12.4 Combustion residues. The largest differences depend on three steel mills that now report the slag (LoW 10 02 01 and 10 02 02) as by-products which are sold as construction material and others outside the steel mills. The amount of landfilled hazardous waste has increased about 11% between 2018 and 2020. It is mainly 12.6H Soils (excluded mineral waste from mining) that has increased. Data for 12.6H is collected in the special reporting of construction and demolition waste. There are three ordinary landfills that have reported larger amounts in 2020 than in 2018. Pretreatment Pretreatment is not reported to Eurostat in WStatR, but in Sweden data about pretreatment is presented. Pre-treatment occurs mainly in NACE 38 and NACE 46.77, and there is a balance between the amount of pre-treatment and the generation of secondary wastes. The largest decreases are 12.1 Mineral waste from construction and demolition. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. Also, the amount of pretreated 06.3 Mixed metals has decreased between 2018 and 2020. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. Treatment of mining waste The largest changes in the treatment depends on changed classification of tailings. In 2018 and earlier the tailings were classified as non-hazardous, but in 2020 the facilities have been asked if the tailings are hazardous waste or non-hazardous waste. The amounts of mining wastes often change from one year to another, because it is coupled to the production which is coupled to the economy. The amounts of generated mining waste (rocks and tailings), and the total treatment of mining waste have been checked against production data. Since the amounts of mining wastes are huge, there is a tendency to use both rocks and tailings for construction and backfilling, also backfilling in old mines and pits. Tailings are pre-treated before backfilling in a special process. Changes by waste type
EWC-Stat |
|
Comments |
01.1H |
Spent solvents |
The total amount of treated 01.1H has decreased. It is especially incineration with energy recovery and incineration without energy recovery that have decreased, while recovery has increased. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. |
01.2 |
Acid, alkaline or saline wastes |
Change in waste type and treatment combination, but the waste type and treatment combination (overall treatment) is classified as confidential. |
01.2H |
Acid, alkaline or saline wastes |
There is some decrease in treated amount of 01.2H. Material recovery and landfilling have decreased and incineration with heat recovery has increased. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. |
01.3H |
Used oils |
For used oils there is an increase in total final treatment, especially regarding incineration with energy recovery. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. |
02A (01.4, 02, 03.1) |
Chemical wastes |
There is an increased amount of treated 02A Chemical waste. The increase comes from landfills at pulp- and paper industries that uses LoW Green liquor sludge from pulp- and paper industry for backfilling of landfills during closure. In 2018 a lot of these wastes were stored for later use (in 2020). |
02AH (01.4H, 02H, 03.1H) |
Chemical wastes |
The total amount of treated hazardous chemical wastes has decreased between 2018 and 2020. Especially incineration without energy recovery has decreased, while landfilling has increased. The change has been verified in the facility-level data.. |
03.2 |
Industrial effluent sludges |
Change in waste type and treatment combination, but the waste type and treatment combination is classified as confidential. |
03.2H |
Industrial effluent sludges |
Change in waste type and treatment combination, but the waste type and treatment combination is classified as confidential. |
03.3 |
Sludges and liquid wastes from waste treatment |
There is a total decrease of about 35000 tonnes in treatment of 03.3. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. |
03.3H |
Sludges and liquid wastes from waste treatment |
There is an increase of more than 11 ,000 tonnes of the total final treatment of 03.3H. It is incineration with energy recovery that has increased. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. |
05 |
Health care and biological wastes |
There are only natural differences between 2018 and 2020. |
05H |
Health care and biological wastes |
There is an increase in treatment of 05H. It is incineration with energy recovery that has increased with 3 600 tonnes while incineration without energy recovery has decreased. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. |
06.1 |
Metallic wastes, ferrous |
The treatment of 06.1 has decreased considerably, with 530 000 tonnes. It is material recovery that has decreased, especially conventional material recycling. One reason for this decrease is, probably, how the facilities report, or rather do not report, the end-of-waste criteria. The metal wastes are usually transported to a sorting plant, which may also include mechanical treatment and storage. It is to expect that a large part of the metal waste should fulfil the end-of-waste criteria when leaving the sorting plant. However, only a few facilities have referred to the end-of-waste criteria in their environmental reports. The sorted waste, or material fulfilling the end-of-waste criteria, is then transported to steelworks and other metal works, and is not reported as waste, not even as “end-of-waste scrap”. If the metal waste obtains the end-of-waste stage at the sorting facilities, the recycling should be allocated to the sorting facilities, but in their environmental reports it is not possible to identify when or if the material has gained the end-of-waste stage. On the other hand, there are six major steelworks that reported that they received 06.1 both in 2018 and 2020. Those six steel mills recycled 1.85 million tonnes of 06.1 in 2018, but only 1.37 million tonnes in 2020. The economy in the steel sector has declined between 2018 and 2020 with about 5 %, but the decrease in recycled scrap is much higher. Also, there are 1 600 tonnes of 06.1 reported as landfilled. Filter dust, and sweepings from metal power production have been classified as LoW 12 01 02 ferrous metal dust and particles. This classification may be discussed. |
06.2 |
Metallic wastes, non-ferrous |
There is a slight increase in the total amount of treated 06.2, and it is material recycling that has increased. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. |
06.3 |
Metallic wastes, mixed |
The total amount of treated 09.3 has decreased. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. |
07.1 |
Glass wastes |
There are only minor changes in the treatment of 07.1 Glass wastes. Most of the increase of landfilling, and decrease in material recycling, is reported from glass recovery facilities who manage packaging glass waste (the landfilled reject is glass reject from the mechanical sorting process, and due to higher requirements from the glass market they have to bleed out more glass reject). |
07.2 |
Paper and cardboard wastes |
There is a decrease in the total amount of treatment of paper and cardboard wastes. This decrease is in accordance with the development of the pulp and paper industry. The Swedish Forest Industries Federation reports that the production of recycled pulp decreased from 662 000 tonnes in 2018 to 532 000 tonnes in 2020. Also, the total production of paper and cardboard decreased from 10.4 million tonnes in 2018 to 9.7 million tonnes in 2020. |
07.3 |
Rubber wastes |
Change in waste type and treatment combination, but the waste type and treatment combination are classified as confidential. |
07.4 |
Plastic wastes |
The treatment of 07.4 plastic waste has decreased between 2018 and 2020. It is especially incineration with energy recovery that have decreased. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. |
07.5 |
Wood wastes |
The treatment of wood waste has decreased between 2018 and 2020. It is the amount of incinerated with energy recovery (R1) that has decreased. There are several incinerator facilities that have reported decreased amounts of wood waste in 2020. There are also some wood industries that reported incineration of wood waste in 2018, but in 2020 that wood waste was classified as by-product. It is also found that the amount of wood waste from Construction and demolition treated by energy recovery has increased. Also, the amount of wood waste imported for energy recovery has increased between 2018 and 2020. The kind of wood waste that has decreased seems to be mostly wood waste from wood industry and wood waste from forestry, which have been classified as by-products in 2020 but not in 2018. |
07.5H |
Wood wastes, hazardous |
There is a decrease in the amount of treated hazardous wood waste which mainly is incinerated with energy recovery. At some incineration facilities there is an ambiguity when classifying hazardous wood waste. In the environmental report the waste is usually described as just “hazardous wood waste” or “impregnated wood waste”. However, in the special reporting of C&D waste (that is attached to the environmental report) impregnated wood waste is classified as LoW 17 02 04 which becomes 12.1H mineral waste from construction and demolition. Some of the decrease seems to depend on changed classification of the hazardous wood waste. We suspect that the data for 2018 is erroneous. The environmental report for 2020 seems to be reliable. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. |
07.6 |
Textile wastes |
For 2018 there were no treatment identified for 07.6 textile waste but in 2020 there were about 2,500 tonnes of material recovery. Data about textile waste treatment is usually not collected, since the management of textile wastes mainly takes place on smaller facilities that don’t have to issue environmental reports. The data has been verified at the facility-level. |
07.7H |
Waste containing PCB |
There is an increase of the quantity of treated 07.7H waste containing PCB. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. It has also been observed from earlier that PCB-wastes have fluctuations in quantity from year to year. There is also a large quantity of pre-treatment of PCB wastes: about 8,000 tonnes. It is mainly electrical equipment such as transformers and capacitors that are drained and the PCB is transferred to an incineration facility and the metals are transferred to metal recovery. |
08.1 |
Discarded vehicles |
Sweden does not report treatment of non-hazardous discarded vehicles. Non-hazardous vehicles are generated as secondary waste when hazardous discarded vehicles are dismantled, and these are further transferred to shredder facilities. The shredding is regarded as a pre-treatment process and is not reported in WStatR. |
08.1H |
Discarded vehicles |
Hazardous discarded vehicles are pre-treated by dismantling, which is a preparatory treatment, and not reported in WStatR (see also previous 08.1 Discarded vehicles (non-hazardous). |
08.41 |
Batteries and accumulators wastes |
The change has been verified in the facility-level data. Usually, Sweden regards all batteries to be hazardous and the treatment is reported under 08.41H, see next item. |
08.41H |
Batteries and accumulators wastes |
The treatment of batteries and accumulators has a slight decrease. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. |
08A (08 excl. 08.1 and 08.41) |
Discarded equipment |
Discarded equipment is generally classified as hazardous (08AH) unless the respondent clearly states it is non-hazardous. |
08AH (08H excl. 08.1H and 08.41H) |
Discarded equipment |
The final treatment of 08AH has changed only marginally. However, we have found an increase in pre-treatment (that is not reported in WStatR). The pre-treatment is usually dismantling or shredding (usually of dismantled components). The change has been verified in the facility-level data. |
09.1 |
Animal and mixed food waste |
The treatment of 09.1 Animal and mixed food has increased by about 127 000 tonnes. The dominating treatment is anaerobic digestion and it has increased. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. Several facilities reported larger amounts in 2020 and 2018. There is also an uncertainty in the classification of the waste. Many facilities do not report the treated waste in LoW codes. Instead they use the common name, for example “organic industrial waste”, which makes it hard to determine if the waste is 09.1 or 09.2. A part of the increase may be connected to the decrease in treatment of 09.2 vegetal waste. |
09.2 |
Vegetal wastes |
The treatment of 09.2 vegetal waste has decreased. A part of the decrease may depend on the uncertainty in classification of 09.1 and 09.2 (see comment in previous item). There are a number of bigger facilities that report less quantities in 2020 than 2018, but the opposite can also be noted.. Another observation is that vegetal waste treated in connection with food industries has decreased since several residues has been classified as by-products in 2020 |
09.3 |
Animal faeces, urine and manure |
The treated quantity of 09.3 Animal faeces, urine and manure has increased. It is mainly anaerobic digestion of manure that has increased. This is in accordance with other statistics from the Swedish Energy Board that reports an increased number of farm digestors. There is also a number of facilities that report (especially anaerobic digestion) higher amounts in 2020 than in 2018. |
10.1 |
Household and similar wastes |
The amount of treated 10.1 household waste and similar has decreased. There is a decrease in incineration with energy recovery and an increase in landfilling, and the changes are comparable with reports from Waste Management Sweden (even if the waste classification is a little different). |
10.2 |
Mixed and undifferentiated materials |
Change in waste type and treatment combination, but the waste type and treatment combination is classified as confidential. |
10.2H |
Mixed and undifferentiated materials |
Change in waste type and treatment combination, but the waste type and treatment combination is classified as confidential. |
10.3 |
Sorting residues |
The amount of treated 10.3 Sorting residues has decreased. It is above all the quantity to incineration with energy recovery that has decreased. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. It is also observed that backfilling has increased while material recovery has decreased. One reason could be that backfilling now has been implemented in the Swedish legislation. |
10.3H |
Sorting residues |
The total treatment of hazardous sorting residues has decreased. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. |
11 |
Common sludges |
The amount of treated 11 Common sludges has increased slightly. Incineration with energy recovery has increased while biological treatment has decreased (comment: the digestion of sludges that are integrated into the treatment process in municipal sewage treatment plants are not included since we regard it as an internal process). A large part of the changes in the treatment concerns sludges from pulp and paper industries, and there are several paper mills that report increased amount of incinerated sludge and decreased amounts of composted sludge. |
12.1 |
Mineral waste from construction and demolition |
The amount of treated 12.1 Mineral waste from construction and demolition has increased. Data for treatment of 12.1 is collected by two parallel reporting:
- In Sweden there is a special reporting of C&D waste – all waste facilities must submit a report of the received C&D waste (quantity in tonnes, classification according to LoW) and how it has been treated (R and D codes).
- In the annual environmental report, the waste management facilities should describe the waste and the waste treatment. However, there is today no standardized form for the reporting.
Regarding C&D waste these two methods usually give different results. Both methods give an increase of the treated amount of 12.1. It is above all the landfilling of 12.1 that has increased, but also backfilling and incineration with energy recovery have increased. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. Backfilling of 12.1 is usually done when covering old landfills that shall be closed and is often coupled to different closing projects. Therefore, the amount of backfilling at a certain facility may vary a lot from year to year. We have identified 6 – 7 facilities (landfills that are closing) that have reported 10,000 – 50,000 tonnes each of backfilling of 12.1 in 2020 but none in 2020. Also the opposite can be discovered, there are about 5 facilities that reported backfilling in 2018 but none, or very reduced, in 2020. The change regarding change in landfill has been verified in the facility-level data. |
12.1H |
Mineral waste from construction and demolition |
The amount of treated hazardous 12.1H has increased from 2018 to 2020. Both incineration with energy recovery and landfilling have increased. It is mainly impregnated wood waste (wood containing hazardous substances) that is incinerated. The change has been verified in the facility-level data. |
12.4 |
Combustion wastes |
The total amount of treated 12.4 Combustion wastes has decreased considerably since 2018. Apart from this also a change in waste type and treatment combination, but the waste type and treatment combination are classified as confidential. |
12.4H |
Combustion wastes |
There are only minor changes. |
12.6 |
Soils |
The amounts of treated soils have increased. We have also observed that the total amount of generated soils has increased. There is also a diversion from recycling to backfilling depending on that backfilling has been implemented in the legislation. |
12.6H |
Soils |
There is only a small change in the total amount of 12.6H Hazardous soils. There is a diversion from “recycling” to landfilling (in this case recycling has been stabilizing the soil and the soil is ? used as construction material). |
12.7 |
Dredging spoils |
The amount of treated dredging spoils has increased from 2018. We have found that there are big variations between different years. The amounts and treatments are collected from the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management and are identical to the reporting to OSPAR and HELCOM. |
12.7H |
Dredging spoils |
The amount of 12.7 has decreased. It was mainly a major dredging project in a harbor that reported treatment of hazardous dredging spoils in 2018. |
12.8A (12.8, 13) |
Mineral wastes from waste treatment and stabilized wastes |
The total treatment of 12.8 has increased. It seems to be a change in classification of slag and bottom ash from waste incineration. There is an uncertainty if the bottom ash shall be LoW 10 01 15 (which is EWC-Stat 12.4) or LoW 19 01 12 (which is LoW 12.8A), so the facility may report differently depending on the current interpretation. Especially backfilling of 12.8 has increased. We have also noticed that there are three or four facilities that reported recycling of 12.4 in 2018, but backfilling of 12.8 in 2020. |
12.8AH (12.8H, 13H) |
Mineral wastes from waste treatment and stabilized wastes |
There is a slight decrease in the total treatment of 12.8AH (12.8H+13H) which seems to be within natural variations. Eight facilities have reported treatment, and 7 of them have slightly decreased amounts. There is one item reported as backfilling (about 22 000 tonnes). Backfilling of hazardous waste is not allowed but, in this case, it was LoW 19 05 06*, which was specified as “waste, classified as hazardous waste, that has been stabilized/solidified” that was used for landscaping of an old landfill. |
12A (12.2, 12.3, 12.5) |
Other mineral wastes, excluding mining waste |
The amount of treated 12A (12.2, 12.3, 12.5) excluding mining waste has increased. Especially the amount to landfilling has increased. The data has been verified at the facility-level. |
12AH (12.2H, 12.3H, 12.5H) |
Other mineral wastes, excluding mining waste |
The amount of treated 12AH (12.2H, 12.3H, 12.5H) excluding mining waste has slightly decreased. The decrease seems to be within the natural variations. |
12.3B 12.3BH |
Mining waste |
The major changes for mining waste depend on changed classification of tailings that earlier were classified as non-hazardous (LoW 01 03 06 or 01 03 08), butin 2020 in several cases instead have been classified as hazardous waste (LoW 01 03 05* or 01 03 07*). The classification has been based on a special inquiry to the mining facilities. There are also common variations of the amount of mining waste that varies from year to year. The major treatment of rocks (LoW 01 01 01) is landfilling, backfilling and recycling (when used as construction material). There is a tendency towards less landfilling and more backfilling or use as construction material, but it depends a lot on the local possibilities because normally the mining waste is transported only shorter distances, and managed within the mining area. The treatment of tailings is mainly D 4 Surface impoundment (Other disposal). There are some tailings that are stabilized to some kind of paste and used for filling of old mine pits. This treatment has been classified as backfilling, but it can be discussed if landfilling would be more appropriate. |
sum-nonH |
Sum non-hazardous, excluding mining waste |
The total final treatment of all non-hazardous wastes, excluding mining waste, has changed very little between 2018 and 2020. However, there are some diversions between different treatment categories. Within the category Recycling and backfilling, it can be observed that the amount of use as construction material is decreasing while backfilling has increased. It is basically the same treatment but since backfilling was implemented in the legislation in 2018, backfilling has been used more. The increase in backfilling depends mainly on 12.6 Soils. Also, an increase of biological treatment can be observed, which is in line with the environmental goals set up by the government and the parliament. There is also an increase in energy recovery which may depend on increased import of combustible waste EWC-Stat 10.2 and 10.3. |
sum-H |
Sum hazardous, excluding mining waste |
The total amount of final treated hazardous wastes, excluding mining wastes, has decreased. At the same time, the pre-treatment (not reported in WStatR) has increased with approximately the same amount. Incineration with heat recovery as well as incineration on land has decreased. Also recycling, including use as construction material, has decreased while landfilling has increased. The decrease in incineration on land (D10) depends on hazardous wood waste, see 07.5H above. The decrease in recycling depends mainly on 12.6H contaminated soil, see above. The increase in landfilling depends mainly on 12.6H contaminated soil, see above. |
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