Waste Sorting
Throughout Skövdebostäder’s residential areas, there are recycling bins—both underground and in traditional recycling rooms. We know that many of our tenants recycle their packaging. Still, the occasional piece of packaging ends up in the wrong bin, and the more we get it right, the better.
What should I sort where?
To help you figure out what to throw away in each category, we've put together a brochure. Download it and take a look! There are also a few videos here that can help you along the way.
Where can I find recycling facilities in my area?
On your neighborhood map, you can find where to sort packaging for recycling—as well as where to dispose of food waste and general waste. You can find the neighborhood maps under each respective neighborhood.
Did you know that?
- Recycling a can saves enough energy to power seven hours of TV viewing.
- One recycled aluminum can saves enough energy to power a computer for a day.
- You can brew 38 cups of coffee using your daily newspaper.
- One bag of food waste can be turned into biogas that’s enough to power a car for 2.5 kilometers.
Food Waste
As a tenant with us, you’ll receive a bag holder and food waste bags, which are available for pickup. The bags are brown and made of paper. If you don’t know where to find the bags, ask your building manager.
Once the food waste bins have been emptied, the contents are transported to a biogas plant in Jönköping, where they undergo anaerobic digestion. The byproduct of gas production is then turned into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. By sorting your food waste, you help reduce emissions. A car powered by biogas instead of gasoline or diesel emits 95 percent less carbon dioxide!
How do I go about it?
Here's how to do it:
- Unfold the bag and press it down at the bottom so that it stands securely in the bag holder.
- Put food waste in the bag. A good rule of thumb is to fill the bag about two-thirds full with food waste before throwing it out, but you can, of course, take it out sooner if it starts to smell. Let wet food waste drain before putting it in the bag.
- Roll up the top of the bag to close it.
- Place the bag with the food waste in the food waste bin in your area.
You can put these items in the brown bag
- Food scraps
- Bread
- Fruit and vegetable peels
- Coffee grounds, tea, and coffee filters
- Cheese and similar items
- Withered flower petals
- Paper towels and napkins
You MUST NOT put this in the brown bag
- Plastic (applies to all plastic, including biodegradable plastic)
- Larger meat bones
- Eggshells
- Snus and cigarette butts
- Chewing gum
- Popsicle sticks
- Gravel, soil, and sand
- Glass and Porcelain
- Cutlery or other metal
Only food waste in the brown bag
It is important that the brown bag contains only food waste. Otherwise, other materials (such as plastic, packaging, and the like) that do not break down during the composting process risk ending up in the environment along with the final product. Be sure to always dispose of household waste that is combustible in the container marked for that purpose.
If you're unsure whether something should be sorted as food waste, it's better to throw it in the general waste bin.
Residual waste (household trash)
Residual waste is the waste that remains after you have sorted out packaging, food waste, bulky waste, electronic waste, and hazardous waste. Residual waste is placed in a separate bin. It is delivered to Skövde Energi, where it is converted into district heating and electricity.
Be sure to pack your trash properly, for example, in a plastic bag that is securely tied with a double knot. This way, we can avoid littering when we pick up the trash.
Some examples of what you can put in the general waste bin
- cigarette butts, tobacco, and snus
- candle stubs
- envelopes and Post-it notes
- cat litter
- toothbrush
- dishcloths
- T-shirts, diapers, sanitary pads, and condoms