Why we made the guide
Getting rid of waste should not be difficult. Yet most of us know the moment when we are holding an empty pizza box, a worn-out toothbrush or something we cannot even name and wonder: Where does this go? Suddenly, taking out the rubbish feels like a little exam we never studied for.
Mit Affald and Affaldsguide Danmark were made for those moments. The idea is simple: you should be able to look up an item quickly and get help sorting it without first becoming an expert in materials, bins and waste collection schemes. If you are unsure, you are in good company. Waste can be surprisingly complicated.
Waste sorting in Denmark
In Denmark, household waste is sorted into ten main categories: food waste, paper, cardboard, glass, metal, plastic, food and beverage cartons, textile waste, hazardous waste and residual waste. The aim is to keep different materials separate so more can be recycled and hazardous waste can be handled safely.
Sorted waste goes to different places. Glass, metal, paper and other materials can be used to make new products. Food waste can become biogas and fertilizer, among other things. Residual waste is typically used to produce energy through incineration, while hazardous waste needs special handling. Sorting something for recycling does not, however, mean that every part of it becomes a new product.
The ten categories provide a common starting point, but how waste is collected depends on where you live. Some categories may share a bin and be separated later; others must go in separate bins, special bags or be dropped off elsewhere. Follow your municipality's instructions for disposing of waste where you live.
How to use the website and our apps
On the Mit Affald website, you can search for a waste item and see a suggestion for how to sort it. You can also explore the waste categories, read about municipalities and find recycling centres.
If you want the guide on your phone, Affaldsguide Danmark is available as an app for iPhone and Android. In the iPhone app, you can also take or choose a photo, get suggestions for possible items and select the result that fits best. Recent searches make it easy to find something you have looked up before. You can also earn achievements and report a sorting answer that looks wrong.
Municipalities use many of the same waste categories, but rules can vary from place to place. When you select your municipality, the guide shows the local rules recorded for it and relevant information about its waste collection schemes. We continue to expand and correct the content.
Independent guidance
Mit Affald and Affaldsguide Danmark are independent guides. They are not official municipal services and are not operated, approved or endorsed by any municipality, public authority or public waste company.
We work hard to provide useful answers, but local schemes can change, and the guide may not cover every local rule. If you are unsure, your municipality's official guidance is the best place to double-check.
Who is behind it?
Mit Affald and Affaldsguide Danmark were developed by Simple Web, owned by Oliver Kronholm Thomsen. If you have questions or feedback, or have found an answer that needs correcting, email info@simplecode.dk.