Affaldsloven

Affaldsloven is a piece of legislation in Denmark that regulates waste management and disposal. The law, which was introduced in 1993, aims to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and promote recycling, waste-to-energy production, and other forms of waste treatment.

Key aspects of affaldsloven include the requirements for waste sorting and recycling, as well as the setup of waste-to-energy plants. Producers of waste, including households and businesses, are responsible for sorting and disposing of their waste in accordance with the law. In addition, waste-to-energy plants have been built to treat non-recyclable waste and generate electricity and heat.

The law also introduced a tax system for waste management, where producers are charged for the waste they generate. This money is used to fund the collection and treatment of waste, as well as to finance projects aimed at reducing waste. The tax system has been criticized for being regressive, as households and consumers bear the majority of the costs.

Affaldsloven has been generally successful in reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills in Denmark. In 1993, over 90% of household waste was sent to landfills, but by 2005, this number had been reduced to under 1%. The law has also led to an increase in recycling and the use of waste-to-energy production. However, the high operating costs of waste-to-energy plants have raised concerns about their sustainability.