Food waste / Madaffald
See the most important Danish waste categories and how correct sorting helps materials move on to recycling.
Click a waste category to read more about it.
In short
Food waste is edible leftovers and raw food scraps without packaging. In Denmark it can be turned into biogas and fertiliser when kept free from plastic, metal, glass and residual waste.
Common mistakes
- Food in packaging must be unpacked first. Sort the packaging separately.
- Plastic bags, foil trays, glass and metal do not belong in food waste.
- Cat litter, animal bedding and dog waste bags are not food waste.
- Large amounts of liquid food or cooking oil must follow local municipal rules.
Clean or dirty?
Food waste may be wet or messy
Leftovers, peelings, coffee grounds, tea leaves, eggshells and small bones can usually go in food waste, even when wet or messy.
But it must be unpackaged
If the food is still in plastic, glass, metal, cardboard or other packaging, remove the packaging and sort it separately.
Check local rules
Food-waste schemes can vary slightly between Danish municipalities, especially for bags, paper towels, napkins, cooking oil and holiday homes. Find your municipality.
Food waste
Food waste is an important Danish waste category because it can be turned into useful resources such as biogas, compost and fertiliser. It includes leftovers, expired food, fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, coffee filters and eggshells.
From food waste to resources
When food waste is sorted correctly, it can be treated in biogas plants. The process produces renewable energy and leaves nutrients that can be used in agriculture. Packaging, napkins, cat litter and garden soil should not be sorted as food waste unless your local rules say otherwise.
FAQ about food waste
Can coffee filters go in food waste?+
Yes, coffee filters with coffee grounds can usually go in food waste because both the filter and grounds can be treated with organic waste.
Can packaged food go in food waste?+
No. Food must be removed from packaging first. Plastic, glass, metal, cardboard and food and beverage cartons must be sorted separately.
Can paper towels and napkins go in food waste?+
It depends on the municipality. Some schemes accept small amounts of paper towels or napkins with food residue, while others do not.
Can bones and shells go in food waste?+
Small bones, eggshells and fruit or vegetable peelings can normally go in food waste. Large bones may belong in residual waste in some municipalities.
Why sort food waste?+
When food waste is sorted correctly, it can be used for biogas and fertiliser instead of being sent to incineration as residual waste.
Waste items sorted as food waste / Madaffald
Aebleskive
Almond
Animal bone
Animal fat
Apple
Apple core
Aubergine
Avocado
Avocado stone
Baby food
Bacon
Banana
Banana peel
Basil
Beef
Bell pepper
Bird seed
Biscuits
Blood
Blueberries
Bone
Bouillon
Bread
Brown sugar
Butter
Butter packaging
Butter spread tub
Cake
Cake leftovers
Candy
Cannabis
Canned tomato paste
Caramel
Carrot
Cat food
Caviar
Cheese
Cheese puffs
Cheese shrimp snack
Cheese snack
Cherry pit
Cherry stone
Chestnut
Chicken
Chicken bone
Chicken carcass
Chicken salad
Chips
Chives
Chocolate
Chocolate bar wrapper
Chocolate spread
Chopped tomatoes
Cinnamon
Cinnamon stick
Citrus fruit
Clementine
Cocoa powder
Coconut
Coffee
Coffee bean
Coffee capsule
Coffee filter
Coffee grounds
Coffee pod
Cold cuts
Compost
Cookie
Cooking fat
Cooking oil
Cooking oil for food
Cottage cheese
Courgette
Crayfish
Cream cheese
Cream cheese spread
Creme fraiche
Crispbread
Cucumber
Curried herring
Cut flower
Dairy products
Danish pastry
Date stone
Desiccated coconut
Dirty kitchen roll paper
Dough
Dressing
Dried flowers
Dropped fruit
Dry food
Dry pet food
Duck
Duck bone
Duck carcass
Duck fat
Edible mushroom
Edible nut
Egg
Egg salad
Egg white
Egg yolk
Eggshell
Falafel
Fallen fruit
Fallen leaves
Fat
Feta cheese
Fig spread
Fish
Fish and fish leftovers
Fish fillet
Flour
Flower bouquet
Flowers
Food
Food leftovers
Food waste
French fries
French fry
Fresh herb
Frozen food
Frozen food item
Fruit
Fruit bar
Fruit pit
Fruit stone
Frying oil
Garlic
Gelatine
Giant hogweed
Goat cheese
Grains
Grape
Grated cheese
Greek yoghurt tub
Ground coffee
Ham
Haribo sweets
Hemp
Herring
Honey
Houseplant
Hummus
Hyacinth bulb
Icing
Icing sugar
Infant formula
Invasive plant
Ketchup
Kitchen roll
Kitchen roll paper
Kiwi fruit
Lemon
Lemon mousse
Lemon peel
Lemon slice
M&Ms
Mackerel
Mackerel salad
Mango
Mango stone
Margarine
Marzipan
Marzipan ring cake
Mayonnaise
Meat
Meat bone
Meat bones
Meat sauce
Melon
Milk slice snack
Minced beef
Mozzarella
Muesli bar
Muffin
Mushroom
Nectarine
Nut shell
Oats
Offal
Old food
Olive oil
Olive stone
Onion
Open sandwich
Orange
Orange peel
Organ meat
Pancake
Parsley
Parsley sauce
Pasta
Pea
Pea pod
Peach
Peach stone
Pear
Pearl barley
Pepper spice
Pesto
Pesto jar
Pet food
Pineapple
Pistachio
Pistachio nut
Pizza
Plant cutting
Plum
Popcorn
Pork
Pork crackling
Pork meat
Potato
Potato peel
Potato salad
Potato starch
Prepared dog food
Pringles tube
Pumpkin
Raisin
Rapeseed oil
Raspberries
Raw meat
Red cabbage
Reeds
Remoulade
Remoulade bottle
Rice
Rice cake
Roast pork leftovers
Rose
Rosehip plant
Rotten food
Rotten fruit
Rye bread
Salad
Salami
Salmon
Salt
Sauce
Sausage
Sausage roll
Sea buckthorn
Senseo coffee pad
Shellfish
Shrimp
Shrimp cheese spread
Shrimp shell
Smoked pork loin
Smoothie
Soup
Spaghetti
Spareribs
Spice
Spice jar
Spoiled food
Spring roll
Spruce branches
Strawberries
Sugar
Sunflower oil
Tea bag
Tea filter
Tea leaves with filter
Tea letter packet
Tomato
Tomato paste
Tuna
Vanilla
Vanilla pod
Vegetable
Vegetable peelings
Walnut
Walnut kernel
Watermelon
Weeds
Wet kitchen roll
Wet pet food
Wheat flour
Whey powder
Whipped cream
Whipping cream
Wilted flowers
Yeast
Yoghurt