The year thus began with a bang and has largely continued at about the same pace. As we look back, we can conclude that we, together with our customers, partners, suppliers and Sweden’s municipalities, have managed to handle the transfer of the collection responsibility in a good way and have managed to avoid the “garbage chaos” that some media warned about. A warm thank you to all of you who have been with us on the journey, thank you for your patience and valuable feedback during the process of getting everything in place!
We are also grateful for the great trust shown by the business community, in choosing us as their producer responsibility organisation, which has resulted in a combined market share of just over 90 percent.
Curbside collection for increased sorting
The aim of the municipal collection responsibility for household packaging and the nationally expanded curbside collection, is for more packaging to be sorted out and thus given the chance to be recycled. In 2025, we will closely monitor the expansion of curbside collection, the municipalities’ choice of collection system and its impact on material quality, as well as how the compensation to the municipalities develops. We will have an increased focus on material quality to ensure that as much material as possible can be recycled.
New packaging regulation sets higher demands
The year has also brought about several changes for our affiliated producers. The new packaging regulation sets higher demands on producers than before. Above all, it has become clear that the collection reform with curbside collection brought significantly increased packaging fees from the start. We see that this development will continue until 2027 and then hopefully level off.
The increase in costs has also highlighted the need for everyone to participate and take responsibility for financing the collection and recycling system, in order to ensure fair competition in the market. During 2024, NPA has further intensified our work in connection to the free-riding problem and the need for supervision, both through practical measures and in our advocacy work. During the year, we have worked on several fronts to reduce free-riding, and one effect of this is the 1,500 newly affiliated producers who are now participating and taking their responsibility as customers of NPA.
As a producer responsibility organisation, we also have a responsibility to contribute to reduce littering. During the year, we launched a design guide against littering together with Håll Sverige Rent, as a support to our customers.
Some way to go to reach the material recycling target
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency recently reported the material recycling rates for 2023, which show that the recycling of paper and plastic packaging has increased compared to 2022, but that Sweden still has a long way to go to reach all targets for packaging recycling. When it comes to plastic packaging, the so-called Site Zero effect is not visible in the statistics for 2023, since the new sorting facility was only inaugurated in November 2023. In the material recycling rates for 2024, a clear improvement in the figures is expected, thanks to to the improved sorting at Site Zero.
But new and more processes are needed that enable higher material recycling of more materials, in order for Sweden to reach the targets overall. The investigation “Reform of the waste sector to increase material recycling and the circular economy”, which the government presented in November, addresses several proposals for increased sorting of packaging with the aim of increasing material recycling. NPA intends to take an active role in the coming years to find new collaborations and solutions linked to the proposals.
Collection and recycling of packaging waste from businesses
The investigation also makes it clear that collection and recycling of packaging waste from businesses needs to increase. During 2024, NPA has been working intensively on the expansion of collection points for businesses, a responsibility that falls to us as the largest producer responsibility organisation. The requirements for the expansion of collection points are regulated by the packaging regulation and by 2026 there will be a collection point in every municipality.
Finding suitable sites is challenging and will be a prioritized part of our operations in 2025 as well. We see that the municipalities’ recycling centers are already well-known sites for companies’ waste management and we hope to be able to reach further in the dialogue with the municipalities next year, in order for them to continue to offer this service to the municipality’s businesses.
Networking is an important part of our operations
We will continue to actively participate in various networks and forums linked to producer responsibility and recycling next year as well. Some examples are our membership in EXPRA, our partnership in the waste portal sopor.nu, and our board position in Håll Sverige Rent. Collaboration and partnerships provide new perspectives and approaches to the challenges we face.
PPWR and its impact on producers
Looking ahead, we see that 2025 will be a lot about PPWR and its consequences. The implementation of the legislation in Sweden will be extensive and have a major impact on both authorities and producers, as well as on us as a producer responsibility organisation. New legislation requires guidance for producers, something that is primarily the responsibility of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, but in our role we will also develop support based on the needs we identify with our customers.
Our main mission is to continue working for increased material recycling of all types of materials. To achieve the national recycling goals, many of us need to work together. We contribute through support and advice to our customers, partnerships with sorting and recycling facilities and collaborations with Sweden’s 290 municipalities. We look forward to continuing our work with you in 2025, but for now I wish you happy holidays and a happy new year!
Helena Nylén,
CEO of Näringslivets Producentansvar