Waste sorting has exceeded expectations – Well done residents!

You’re part of the circular economy!

The four category sorting of household waste in Hafnarfjörður has exceeded expectations and residents have done very well in adopting the new waste sorting system. The collection of organic waste is the biggest and most important change, with the four categories of waste sorting system. In July, nearly 62 tonnes of food scraps were collected in Hafnarfjörður, but that increased to nearly 47% in September, when 90.5 tonnes were collected. The results have exceeded expectations and the residents of Hafnarfjörður are to be thanked for their immediate success with the new waste sorting system. Separating food scraps from general waste means a reduced carbon footprint and thereby reducing the amount of waste to landfill. It is pleasing to see that the proportion of mixed waste decreases in parallel, or by almost 36 tonnes from July through September. When less waste is sent to be landfilled, the more can be recycled or reused and with that, the circular economy is maintained. Plastic used to be collected with mixed waste but is now collected separately as it is important to put it into an appropriate recycling process. On average, 25 tonnes of plastic have been collected each month, in this third quarter of the year. Paper collection is on par with the collection before the four part sorting system began in July, with an average of 57 tonnes collected monthly. The municipality receives processing fees from the Processing Fund (Úrvinnslusjóður) for the collection of plastic and paper, and therefore great effort is made to ensure and increase all sorting.

It is a great waste of resources when waste is not sorted

This summer, around 6500 waste containers were distributed and delivered to around 10,500 homes in Hafnarfjörður, along with plastic containers and bundles of paper bags for organic waste. Older waste containers were relabelled to promote mandatory four part sorting of household waste. Collection and sorting of food scraps, mixed waste, plastic packaging and plastic and cardboard must be carried out by law at each household. A great waste of resources occurs when waste is not sorted, then recycling is not possible. Recycling means that waste raw materials are used for the same or similar purposes as originally, for example an aluminium can is recycled into a new aluminium can or paper into writing blocks. Reusing is when waste raw materials, replace other raw materials, for example food scraps converted to compost and methane or mixed wastes are incinerated for energy production. The goal is to minimize waste that goes to landfill and get household waste back into the circular economy.

It all costs something

A processing fee is an extended producer warranty imposed on certain products, f.x. all plastic and paper packaging, during their manufacture process or import. It should cover the costs of collection and other treatment of these products after they become waste and therefore encourages sorting and returning of those items. Municipalities receive funds from the Processing Fund (Úrvinnslusjóður) according to the proportion of collected waste that bears a processing fee, i.e. plastic packaging, paper and cardboard, and the fee goes towards the ongoing operation of municipal waste collection for its residents. Residents purchase goods and after their use or consumption, they categorize the waste, in their respective waste containers, or go to local recycling centres. Home owners pay a waste collection and waste disposal fee for the disposal of household waste and the operation of nearby recycling stations, serviced by Terra Environmental Services, Hafnarfjarðarbær’s waste service provider, they deliver the waste to Sorpa’s sorting facilities. Sorpa is owned by the municipalities in the capital area and is operating as a non-profit, with the environment, society and efficiency as a guiding principle and has an important role to play in the circular economy. Capital generated through recycling and reuse program goes directly into Sorpa’s business for its operations and improved technology.

Pay when discarded

Implementation due to changes to municipal collection for waste management has begun in Hafnarfjarðarbær. With amendments to Act No. 55/2003 on Waste Management, the collection for waste management shall be as close as possible to the actual cost per person, where each person pays for what he throws away based on the number of containers per address, pay when discarded. Tariffs and charging schemes need to be amended, requiring flat-rate rates to be limited to 50 % until 2025 and 25 % thereafter. The project is carried out with a grant from the Ministry of the Environment  and Natural Resources (Umhverfis- og auðlindaráðuneytið) in collaboration with the Housing and Construction Authority (Húsnæðis- og mannvirkjastofnun), the Association of Icelandic municipalities (Samband íslenskra sveitarfélaga) and municipalities in the capital area (Sveitarfélög á höfuðborgarsvæðinu). The arrangements will be presented further on Hafnafjörður’s website and social media in the coming months.

General information on the four categories of household waste

Specific information on waste collection in Hafnarfjörður

Buy a new container

Related news article, sale of the 240L waste containers

Thanks for sorting!