Environment, Energy and Environment, Energy and the Economy: Swedenthe Economy: Sweden

–– Integrated Resource Recovery Integrated Resource Recovery ––

May 2009May 2009

SwedenSweden• Sweden was extremely oil-dependent in the 1970s

• Since then, fossil fuel dependence for heating and electricity has decreased by 90%

• Ministry of Environment’s stated objective is to eliminate Sweden’s dependency on fossil fuels (for energy in the built environment) by 2020

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SwedenSweden

“…hand over to the next generation a country where all the environmental problems have been solved.”

Swedish Parliament,1999

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“…the short term is obsolete…”

“The challenge is not a shortage of energy, but a surplus of inefficiency!”

• 6 elected representatives• 5 government staff• 1 academic• 1 consultant• 1 corporate CEO• 2 corporate partners

Who Attended? Who Attended?

• 21 lecture presentations• 2 sustainable neighbourhoods• 2 recycling collection facilities• 1 advanced (pneumatic) waste collection facility• a steel plant and a heat exchanger manufacturing plant• 3 visits with elected representatives• 2 biogas plants; 2 biogas bus re-fueling facilities• 1 biomass plant• 2 waste-to-energy plants• 1 district cooling plant• 2 landfills

What did we see?What did we see?

HammarbyHammarby Sjöstad, Stockholm

Text Box

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Swedish Waste AgendaSwedish Waste Agenda1969: The Environmental Protection Act1972: The Public Cleansing Act. Responsibility by law for local authorities/municipalities to collect, treat and landfill municipal waste1994: Producers Responsibility for packaging, cardboard, metal, glass, plastics & paper2000: Tax on landfilled waste2001: Ordinance on landfilling and on producers responsibility for electronic waste2002: Ban on landfilling of combustible waste2005: Ban on landfilling of organic waste2006: Tax on incinerated household waste2009: New EU framework directive on waste2010: National Swedish targets:◦ 35 per cent of food waste from households, restaurants, etc. to biological treatment◦ at least 50 percent of household waste diverted through recycling and biological

treatment◦ all suitable food waste from the food industry to be recycled by biological treatment

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Municipal Waste ManagementMunicipal Waste Management

24 (combined) 2741037CANADA (2005)

449839700Metro Vancouver

Waste Landfilled WTE Recycled Composted

EU27 522 kg 42% 20% 22% 17%

Denmark 801 5 53 24 17

Germany 564 1 35 46 18

France 541 34 36 16 14

Netherlands 630 3 38 32 28

Finland 507 53 12 26 10

Sweden 518 4 47 37 12

UK 572 57 9 22 12

The Waste HierarchyThe Waste Hierarchy

Energy from waste

Biological treatment

Reduce

All steps are connected. One can’t just focus on one or two!17

Reuse

Recycle

Recover

Dispose

The Waste HierarchyThe Waste Hierarchy

Energy from waste

Biological treatment

Reduce

All steps are connected. One can’t just focus on one or two!18

Reuse

Recycle

Recover

Dispose

Extended Producer ResponsibilityExtended Producer Responsibility• Importers and producers to take responsibility for

the collection and recovery of waste paper, with a 75% recycling target

• Recycling targets for packaging waste• Deposit fees for cans, refillable glass bottles and

refillable PET bottles• Recycling system at drop-off centres• Waste electronics recycling targets

“…everyone who separates their waste is helping to reduce the greenhouse effect”, SYSAV

The Waste HierarchyThe Waste Hierarchy

Energy from waste

Biological treatment

Reduce

All steps are connected. One can’t just focus on one or two!32

Reuse

Recycle

Recover

Dispose

The Waste HierarchyThe Waste Hierarchy

Energy from waste

Biological treatment

Reduce

All steps are connected. One can’t just focus on one or two!42

Reuse

Recycle

Recover

Dispose

• Political Leadership

• European Union Landfill Directive

• Swedish Legislation and Policies– landfill taxes initiated in 2000 (now at CAN $70 per tonne)– landfill ban on combustible waste in 2002– landfill ban on organic waste in 2005

• Establishment of district heating/cooling networks

• Close and long-term cooperation between municipalities, planners, developers, engineering consultants and industry

Swedish Drivers to WTESwedish Drivers to WTE

The Waste HierarchyThe Waste Hierarchy

Energy from waste

Biological treatment

Reduce

All steps are connected. One can’t just focus on one or two!68

Reuse

Recycle

Recover

Dispose

Swedish Environmental Swedish Environmental Protection AgencyProtection Agency

Mayor Pamela Goldsmith-JonesCouncillor Scott Hamilton

Director Heather DealDirector Linda Hepner