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.












Paper includes newspapers, advertisements, magazines, letters, envelopes and office paper. It should be dry and reasonably clean so the fibres can be recycled into new paper products.
Newspapers, advertisements, letters, envelopes, office paper, magazines, brochures, notebooks without hard covers and paper bags can usually be sorted as paper.
Paper with food, grease, liquid, wax, plastic coating or large amounts of tape can reduce recycling quality and often belongs in residual waste or should follow the specific sorting result.
Danish municipalities may have different rules for gift wrap, window envelopes, books, shredded paper, paper bags and whether paper is collected together with cardboard. Find your municipality.
Paper is one of the best-known recyclable waste categories. In Denmark, newspapers, office paper, envelopes, magazines and paper bags can often be collected separately and recycled into new paper products.
Paper should be reasonably clean and dry. Dirty, wet, greasy or coated paper can reduce the quality of recycling and may need to go in residual waste. Books, baking paper and gift wrap are often handled differently, so always follow the specific sorting result.
It does not need to be perfect, but it should be dry and free from larger amounts of food, grease and liquid so the fibres can be recycled.
Often yes, but rules can vary. Many sorting facilities can handle small plastic windows, while some municipalities recommend following local rules.
Baking paper is often treated with coating and grease and should normally not go in paper recycling. It usually belongs in residual waste.
Not always. Gift wrap may contain plastic, metal foil, dyes or glitter that can reduce recycling quality. Check the specific sorting guidance.
No. Paper and cardboard are often recycled differently. Cardboard boxes and thick carton usually go with cardboard, while newspapers and office paper go with paper.
Advertising leaflets
Bakery bag
Baking soda paper bag
Birthday card
Bread bag
Brochure
Business card
Carrier bag
Christmas wrapping paper
Cigarette paper
Coloured paper
Comic book
Copy paper
Daily newspaper
Document
Drawing
Envelope
Envelope with window
Flour bag
Flour or grain bag
Gift wrap
Greaseproof paper
Interleaving paper
Letter
Letter paper
Magazine
Muffin case
Newspaper
Notebook
Oat bag
Office paper
Paper
Paper bag
Paper bakery bag
Paper streamers
Paperback book
Periodical magazine
Postcard
Poster
Printed brochure
Printed matter
Printer paper
Protective covering paper
Receipt
Rolling paper
Scratch-off Christmas calendar
Shredded paper
Spiral calendar
Spiral-bound book
Staple
Stapled paper
Sticky note
Sugar bag
Tissue paper
Weekly magazine
Window envelope