Only 3 Percent of Trash Hits Landfills in Denmark...Where Does Their Trash Go?

Amagerforbrænding waste incineration and power plant

As a kid we had a trash incinerator in our backyard and although it was no longer permissible by the town we lived in to use the incinerator to burn household garbage, probably because individual homes burning trash in a burner without air filters created significant health concerns as it relates to particulates in the air and air pollution, I still found the trash burner in our backyard fascinating. Like an impenetrable fortress, the three foot cement tower was the focal setting for many Barbie® and Star Wars® mis-adventures and rescues.


Thus began my lifelong fascination with trash. Seems strange to be sure, but solving the problems behind how to reduce garbage (through recycling, repurposing, reduced packaging, using biodegradable materials, and buying in bulk) has, to me, always seemed like one of the most critical and fundamental elements of a sustainability plan and lifestyle.

Perhaps that is why the visit to the Amagerforbrænding waste incineration and power plant was so interesting. While the name Amagerforbraending is a mouthful for non-Danish speaking people, the name is a composite of the word forbraending, which means combustion, and the name of the island that houses the plant, called Amager.

Keep reading this article from its original source: http://www.allisonfrederick.com/files/ArticlesbyAli/Alternative_Energy_Denmark_Using_Trash.html.

About the Author: Allison Frederick writes on environmental and sustainability related issues, particularly as they relate to environmental psychology and green brand strategy.