Facts
Climate Protection

Fossil carbon content in combustible waste in Sweden

The fossil carbon content in the solid waste samples and in the flue gas samples was determined by C-14 analysis, sorting analysis, balance method and chemical characterization of waste. In the conclusions the report gives an overview of advantages and drawbacks of each method.

“The results from this project show that the proportion of fossil carbon in combusted municipal waste in Sweden amounts to about one third. This corresponds to a fossil carbon content of about 10 percent by weight of the waste mixture. This is based on investigations of waste, using four different methods of measurement, at seven of Sweden’s waste combustion plants.”

The full report is available here.

Reference: Avfall Sverige, Determination of the Fossil Carbon Content in Combustible Municipal Solid Waste, 2012.