Odense Waste Management Ltd. operates 8 recycling stations for private households and smaller enterprises. The citizens sort their waste into more than 40 categories which all have their own container.
In Odense it is easy to get rid of waste in the right way at the right place. Each neighbourhood has a station within only a few minutes drive. The recycling stations are all layed out as a horse shoe. The containers have signs which show exactly what to put in and what not to put in each container.
87 % is recycled
The inhabitants of Odense have reached one of the country's highest levels of recycling: 87 % of the bulky waste is recycled. The rest is incinerated for energy production and only a small percentage is landfilled.
From 5 to 40 waste fractions
Containers for the following fractions are available at the recycling stations. 40 different containers might seem overwhelming, but for the citizens of Odense it has become natural to sort the waste into many fraction. We started in late 1980s with 5 containers at each station and within those 30 years development in recycling technology has made it possible to recycle even more materials.
Waste fractions at the recycling station
At the moment these are the waste fractions. However, as soon as a new buyer for a certain type of waste turns up and shows interest in recycling the waste, we are ready to consider putting in another container, if it benefits the environment.
1: Cd's, dvd's and video tapes
1A: Printer ink cartridges
2: Mixed paper
3: Books
4: Cardboard
7A: Windows with frames
7B: Windows without frames
7C: Double-glazed windows wiht PCB
8: Glass bottles and jars
9A: Small eletronic household devices
9 B: Televisions and computer screens
10: Metals
10A: Beverage bins
11A: Big household machines
11B: Fridges, freezers and refridgeration equipment
12: Plastic bags and plastic wraps
13: Hard plastic
14: Asbestos and eternity
16: Garden waste
17: Felt rooofing
18: Matress, carpets and furnitures made from wood
18A: Pure wood
19: Car tyres with or without rims
20: Small combustibles under 1 metre
21: Asphalt
22: Soil, sand and gravel
23: Gypsum
24: Waste for landfilling
24A: Mineral wool
25: Impregnated/pressure treated wood
26: Concrete and tile
26A: White toilettes and sinks
26B: Demolition waste with PCB
27: Reusable goods for humanitarian organizations
28: Clothes and shoes for humanitarian organizations
29: Confident papers for shredding
30: Accumulators - car batteries
31: Batteries
32: Fluorescent tubes and light bulbs
32A: Low energy light bulbs
34: Wires and cables
35: Only bricks
36: Textiles
Hazardous waste
