Material flow and waste accounts
How much waste do we generate in Denmark, and how much are we able to collect for recycling? How much material do we use for our production and consumption? The waste accounts show where different types of waste come from and how waste is treated. The material flow accounts show the Danish resource extraction, import and export of goods by type of material.
Selected statistics on Material flow and waste accounts
Waste generation in Denmark
Here you can see how much waste households and businesses produce. You can also find out whether the waste is collected for recycling, incineration or disposal. Waste amounts are excl. soil.
Waste accounts are based on data from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. All enterprises collecting or treating waste are required to report electronically through a system called 'ADS'.
Household waste
Waste accounts are based on data from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. All enterprises collecting or treating waste are required to report electronically through a system called 'ADS'.
Composition of household waste
Waste accounts are based on data from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. All enterprises collecting or treating waste are required to report electronically through a system called 'ADS'.
Material consumption per capita
The material flow accounts are based on information from statistics on Danish resource extraction, such as agricultural statistics, forestry statistics, and statistics on the extraction of oil and natural gas, as well as other raw materials (sand, gravel, etc.). Additionally, data on imports and exports from the Foreign Trade in Goods statistics are used.
The model calculation underlying the material flow accounts measured in raw material equivalents is based not only on the mentioned source statistics but also on data on international trade provided by Eurostat.
Material consumption in Denmark
The material flow accounts are based on information from statistics on Danish resource extraction, such as agricultural statistics, forestry statistics, and statistics on the extraction of oil and natural gas, as well as other raw materials (sand, gravel, etc.). Additionally, data on imports and exports from the Foreign Trade in Goods statistics are used.
The model calculation underlying the material flow accounts measured in raw material equivalents is based not only on the mentioned source statistics but also on data on international trade provided by Eurostat.
On the statistics – documentation, sources and method
See the documentation of statistics to learn more:
The purpose of the detailed material flow accounts is to shed light on the type and quantity of all materials (natural resources, goods, residuals) linked to industries, private and government consumption, etc.
The accounts can be used for analysis of the physical proportions of resource use, output of goods and residuals, external trade, etc. Thereby they give information, which are useful in relation to analysis of circular economy, etc.
The accounts are available for 2018.
The material flow accounts can be used to describe and understand the interaction between the country's economy and the consumption of natural resources. In the material flow accounts, the weight of the materials used in the country's economy as a whole is calculated. Additionally, the total amount of resources globally extracted to produce the materials and goods used in the economy is estimated using raw material equivalents. Material flow accounts measured by weight have been compiled since 2014 and contain published data from 1993 onwards. Material flow accounts measured in raw material equivalents are available from 2008 onwards.
Dissemination of environmental multipliers is a service for users interested in the interaction between the environment and the economy. The multipliers connect environmental statistics with national accounts statistics at a detailed level and provides a picture of the effects that changes in economic final demand have on selected environmental variables. The environmental multipliers are aggregated measures of the total environmental effect on industries of specific changes in final demand in terms of waste generation, water consumption, generation of waste, CO2 emissions or other impacts.
Waste accounts record how much waste is generated in different parts of the economy, what kind of waste it is and how it is treated. Imports and exports of waste are also covered. The waste accounts build on data from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and were published for the first time in 2015. Municipal waste by municipality, treatment form and waste type is compiled in 2023.
Additional documentation
Need more data on Material flow and waste accounts?
Packaging and circular economy
Statistics Denmark has compiled a packaging flow account for Denmark, including flows of packaging and waste. The project is co-financed by Eurostat.
Accounts for Danish Packaging Flows (pdf)
Statistics Denmark’s plastic flow account describes flows of plastics in the Danish economy, including plastic products and plastic waste treatment. The project is co-financed by Eurostat.