Genanvendelseseffektivitet

Genanvendelseseffektivitet refers to the degree to which materials recovered in recycling processes are actually utilized in new products, as opposed to being lost, degraded, or diverted to waste streams. It is a key indicator of the sustainability of a circular economy, reflecting both the technical performance of recycling facilities and the market demand for recycled feedstock.

The calculation of genanvendelseseffektivitet typically involves a mass balance approach: the weight or volume of material successfully integrated into new products is divided by the total amount of material that entered the recycling system. A high efficiency means that most of the recovered material contributes to new cycles, whereas low efficiency may signal contamination, poor sorting, limited market acceptance, or degradation during processing. In many European studies, an efficiency threshold of 90 % is considered good, though this can vary widely between product categories.

Factors influencing genanvendelseseffektivitet include the purity of collected material, the sophistication of sorting technologies (such as optical scanners and AI-based sorting), the availability of downstream industrial demand, and the energy and logistics costs of transport and preprocessing. Policy instruments such as Producer Responsibility Schemes, subsidies for recycling infrastructure, and extended producer responsibility are commonly used to improve efficiency.

International comparisons show significant variation: for example, glass recycling in Germany achieves efficiencies above 90 %, while mixed plastic streams in some Southeast Asian countries fall below 50 %. Continuous improvement in material characterization, standardization of packaging designs, and consumer education are widely regarded as pathways to raise genanvendelseseffektivitet globally.