Manage Waste and Recycling
If your business produces, transports, collects, or treats waste, you must register with or notify the relevant County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelsen). Hazardous waste requires additional record-keeping and reporting to the national waste register at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket). Transporters of hazardous waste need a separate transport permit from the County Administrative Board.
You are responsible for sorting waste at source and ensuring it reaches authorized treatment facilities. Businesses generating more than minor amounts of hazardous waste must file annual reports. Each municipality sets local rules for commercial waste collection, so contact your municipality early to confirm which arrangements and fees apply to your operation.
Requirements and Responsibilities
- Waste management: Responsibility to ensure waste is handled correctly without harm to health or the environment
- Reduce waste: Attempt to reduce waste generated in the operation
- Reuse and recycling: Utilize resources through reuse and recycling
- Hazardous waste: Sort out and handle hazardous waste (batteries, fluorescent tubes, containers with hazardous substances)
- Classification: Classify waste correctly to determine if permits are required for handling, transport, or treatment
Reporting and Transport
- Waste register: Report hazardous waste to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's waste register
- Reporting obligation: Applies to all who produce, transport, collect, or process hazardous waste
- Transport of hazardous waste: Notification or permit application to the County Administrative Board depending on quantity
- Municipal regulations: Each municipality has its own regulations - contact your municipality for information