Resource management company Geminor has signed a contract with Danish municipal energy-from-waste (EfW) and resource recovery company Amager Resource Centre (ARC) to provide its Copenhagen facility with low-carbon refuse-derived fuel (RDF).Geminor, which provides RDF to EfW plants across northern Europe, will provide ARC’s facility with around 30,000 tonnes of low-carbon RDF per year.The strict rules for low fossil content of the RDF provided under the contract represent a milestone in the development of sustainable EfW production in the EU, and means that over 150,000 households in the Copenhagen area will be provided with low-carbon RDF for electricity and heating.Country Manager at Geminor in Denmark, Kasper Thomsen, said: "ARC sets the standard by burning more low-fossil CO2 waste fuels in Denmark. This fuel is based on residual waste consisting of waste streams with high biogenic content as wood, paper, cardboard and textiles – but with a limited content of waste plastics. Hence, this “green waste” is by definition non-recyclable and classified as RDF – but still a more sustainable option than regular waste fuels.”This follows a similar contract signed by Geminor in December 2019, which saw Norwegian company Quantafuel provided with 20,000 tonnes of waste plastics to be used for chemical recycling. As Thomsen notes, RDF is produced from residual waste, which generally includes some recyclable materials, including biodegradable wastes and plastics. The low-carbon RDF Geminor has committed to supplying to ARC will have a low-plastic content, which is why it is considered to be a more sustainable fuel.Thomesen continued: "This project has so far given us valuable experience regarding waste compositions and quality of RDF fuels. We believe this trend will continue in Denmark and potentially other markets, and we are ready to develop more waste streams to meet the demand for CO2 reductions in the waste sector."Despite this, concerns have been raised over EU proposals to include ‘recycled carbon fuels’ in its Renewable Energy Directive, due to the presence of plastics in these fuels. It is said that these proposals could undermine the progress the EU has made with recycling.
Get our weekly digest
resource.co article ai
How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.