On January 1, 2023, it became mandatory for households, offices and other businesses to collect their food waste separately. The collection takes place in brown compost bags and we at Akademiska Hus are responsible for ensuring that the businesses in our buildings have the opportunity to sort their food waste.
On campus today, many already sort out food waste on their own initiative, which is very good. In order to ensure that this happens in the entire area and make it easier for our customers, we will in the future take over the agreements with Stockholm Water and Waste and create more emptying sites so that everyone who needs it has the opportunity to sort their food waste.
What happens to the food waste?
When food waste is collected separately, it is processed through a process called digestion to become biogas or biofertilizer. By sorting out food waste, you contribute to improving our cycles, reducing the emission of greenhouse gases and reducing the need to import fossil gas and oil.
In order to be able to turn food waste into biogas and biofertilizer, it is important not to throw away anything other than food scraps in the brown bag. Plastic and other rubbish that is not food waste destroys the decomposition, then we do not get biogas and biofertiliser. In addition, the plastic can end up in the soil on our farms and forestry.
This should be thrown in the compost bag:
- Peels and remains of vegetables and fruit
- Leftovers from meat, fish and shellfish
- Pasta, rice
- Leftovers of bread, eggshells
- Tea leaves, coffee grounds. Filters and tea bags can also be put in the food waste as well as a small amount of undyed household paper
However, snuff, chopsticks or old cut flowers and potted plants should not be thrown into the compost bag. This waste impairs the digestion process and therefore does better in the household waste (the usual garbage bag).
You can read more about the sorting requirement here:
It is now mandatory to sort out the food waste | Stockholm Water and Waste
Guide to sorting food waste:
Sort food waste at home and in the office kitchen | Stockholm Water and Waste