Some countries produce too much garbage and others do not have all they need. Even in something that apparently nobody wants, the world is badly distributed. Sweden uses waste to generate energy. But sometimes you run out of that raw material and therefore need more trash.
If this situation has been reached, it is because, in Sweden, they have been recycling and, above all, reducing for a long time and citizens are fully aware. On average, each Swede produces approximately one ton of garbage per household per year. The European average is 6 tons per person per year. Only 4% of Swedish citizens' waste ends up in a landfill. The rest is incinerated to produce energy.
So when you run out of this resource, Sweden buys garbage to generate energy. Do you want to know the details about how energy is obtained from garbage and how Sweden manages it? So, continue reading this article because in Green Ecologist we give you the answer.
How Sweden buys garbage and uses it to generate energy
The garbage incineration lets enjoy heating almost a million Swedish homesapproximately 20% of the total. With methane produced from waste, heat is created and by pumping hot water into pipes, residential and commercial buildings in cities are heated. It also provides electricity for 250,000 homes. Sweden is the world leader in power generation from garbage.
But, as we say, Sweden needs more garbage, so it is going to start importing waste from the rest of Europe. There is more capacity than energy production from garbage, explained Catarina Ostlund, advisor to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
Sweden has started import around 800,000 tons of garbage per year from the rest of the continent. Most come from neighboring Norway, which also pays Sweden to take away its waste. Thus, Sweden not only generates energy from waste, but also earns money from it.
There are, in this form of energy production, some polluting remains, especially heavy metals, which are accumulated in the form of ashes. These ashes are returned to Norway. Still, Ostlund believes that it is not a good long-term solution and calls on the Swedes to improve (even more) on reuse and recycling.
Other leading countries in recycling are Switzerland, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Norway.
If you want to read more articles similar to Sweden buys garbage to generate energy, we recommend that you enter our Recycling and waste management category.
