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Published: 27 November 2014

Landfill waste decreasing rapidly

The amount of municipal waste at landfills is decreasing heavily. Last year, the reduction was over one-quarter from the previous year and the same rate seems to be continuing this year as well. Only 670,000 tonnes of municipal waste was deposited at landfills in 2013. For example, in 2008 the amount was still 1,400,000 tonnes. Especially incineration of waste is on the rise. There are already eight waste incineration plants that are running or being built in Finland, as well as 14 waste co-incineration plants. If the current development continues, landfills for municipal waste will become history, as is already the case in Switzerland and almost true for Sweden, Germany and Denmark.

Municipal waste by treatment method in 2002 to 2013

The total amount of municipal waste was 2.7 million tonnes in 2013, which was slightly less than in 2012. A total of 1,140,000 tonnes of the waste was incinerated, or around 42 per cent of the municipal waste. In addition to waste incineration plants and waste co-incineration plants, around 80,000 tonnes of waste was decomposed in biogas plants and other anaerobic plants. The recycling rate of municipal waste or recovery of waste as matter was close to the figures of 2012, around one-third of all waste. The recovery rate of municipal waste increased, however, thanks to energy recovery, to 75 per cent, which was clearly higher than ever before.

Source: Waste statistics 2013, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Juha Espo 029 551 3463, Simo Vahvelainen 029 551 3457, ymparisto.energia@stat.fi

Director in charge: Leena Storgårds

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• Appendix table 1. Waste treatment in 2013, 1,000 tonnes (27.11.2014)

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Updated 27.11.2014