Norway – waste incineration doubled in ten years

Energy recovery increases and the amount of waste entering landfills diminishes. A handy overview from Statistics Norway. About 70 per cent of the energy in waste incinerated is recovered by Norway‘‘s incineration plants, corresponding to 560 000 tonnes of waste. While the amount of waste entering incineration has doubled in the last 10 years, the amount of waste entering landfills is reduced by 30 per cent during the same time period.



1,3 million tonnes sorted



In general, a large amount of waste enters waste treatment in recyclable fractions. In 2003, 1.8 million tonnes came into recyclable fractions, while 2.4 million tonnes were mixed waste. Of the 550 000 tonnes mixed waste entering sorting plants, 54 per cent is sorted into recyclable fractions.



More incinerated, less landfill



In 2003, 277 000 tonnes of waste were composted, which is about 6 000 tonnes less than in 2001. The amounts incinerated increased from 674 000 tonnes to 798 000 tonnes in the same period. 1.2 million tonnes of waste were landfilled in 2003, which is 195 000 tonnes less than in 2001. On-site treatment in manufacturing industries is excluded from these figures.



The number of landfills is reduced from 112 in 2001 to 98 in 2003. In the same period, only one new incineration plant was introduced. In 2003 the number of registered incineration plants came to 21 compared with 20 in 2001