VANA is sending plastic sorting into a new era together with Resource Denmark
From October 1st, the quantity of plastic managed by Resource Denmark will increase to 90,000 tonnes per year. This change is connected to the producer responsibility for packaging entering into force, and also the agreement that Denmark's largest plastic sorting facility in Esbjerg has made with VANA to receive 77% of the plastic packaging waste that Danes sort in the country's households. Much of this plastic has previously been sent abroad, and the change could mark the beginning of a new Danish recycling industry.
On October 1st, the EU legislation on extended producer responsibility for packaging will enter into force in Denmark. This means that the responsibility for collecting, sorting, and recycling the packaging waste of Danes will be transferred from the municipalities to the thousands of businesses that will be covered by the new legislation. VANA has chosen Resource Denmark as a partner to sort the three-quarters of plastic waste from Danish households that corresponds to VANA's market share.
We are working hard to raise the environmental bar and increase the circularity in the waste sector. Sorting and traceability are key to fulfilling those ambitions, and are therefore important criteria in our choice of partners. The agreement with Resource Denmark ensures that the plastic packaging waste of the Danes is sorted in Jutland, and that we always know where the waste is and who receives it. In this way, we can pave the way on behalf of our member companies for significant shares to be sent on for recycling as a resource.
CEO at VANA
The collaboration means that tonnes of plastic waste, which has previously been sent abroad, will now be sorted locally at Resource Denmark's facility in Esbjerg, which is the largest in the country. This will save the climate from CO2 emissions caused by unnecessary transportation across borders, and at the same time, the Danish solution will ensure Danish jobs, that far less waste is sent for incineration, and that Danish companies have better opportunities to track the life cycle of their packaging.
About Resource Denmark
Resource Denmark is Denmark's largest plastic sorting facility. The company, based in Esbjerg, handles the majority of plastic waste from Danish households and has a capacity of 160,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year. Through an efficient sorting process that minimises resource waste, Resource Denmark contributes to the circular economy and Denmark's and the EU's recycling targets.
Sorting in round-the-clock operation and the possibility for a Danish value chain from A-Z
As part of the preparations for October 1, Resource Denmark has upgraded its capacity from two to three shifts and expanded its workforce to keep the sorting lines running around the clock. In total, approximately 90,000 tonnes of plastic will now be processed, which corresponds to over half of the facility's capacity.
With the new producer responsibility, and a facility with the capacity to sort all of the Danes' household plastic, a unique opportunity has been opened for Denmark to develop its own circular value chain for plastic. This will involve Danish factories that can handle the next link in the chain when the clean, sorted plastic from Resource Denmark is to be recycled into new products.
On October 1st, we mark the beginning of a new era for plastic sorting in Denmark. We have been preparing for a long time, and both facilities and personnel are fully equipped for the task ahead. It is truly positive that we are now taking more responsibility for our waste here in Denmark, and this could even be the starting signal to create a complete Danish industry for sustainable plastic management – perhaps headquartered here in Esbjerg. Now the supply chain is in place, and that is good news for both Denmark's climate goals and the business community.
CEO at Resource Denmark
He emphasises that the foundation for such a circular Danish waste economy consists of strong collaborations across the plastic industry – like the one that now enters into force between Resource Denmark and VANA.
Read more about the agreement between VANA and Resource Denmark