SWEDEN: UPDATES ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULARITY
THE SWEDISH GOVERNMENT PROPOSES CHANGES TO WASTE LEGISLATION
The Swedish government has announced proposed amendments to waste legislation, shifting more responsibility from municipalities to businesses. Retailers will handle their own municipal waste, and businesses will manage used cooking oil, office paper, and return paper. A simplified permit system will allow sectors like hotels and restaurants to manage their own waste, with applications submitted to county boards instead of municipalities.
Additional changes include exemptions for clean excavated soil to enable reuse, and the government taking over responsibility for the national waste plan and prevention program. Municipal waste plans will be simplified, and municipalities must provide publicly accessible financial reporting for waste management.
Producer responsibility for textiles is also planned, with a proposal due in November 2026. The legislative changes are expected to take effect on July 1, 2026, following a government bill to Parliament in early 2026.
Read more: Reformer för ökad materialåtervinning – Regeringen.se (Only in Swedish)
DIVESTMENT OF SIPTEX: WORLD’S FRIST AUTOMATED TEXTILE SORTIG TECHNOLOGY
Sysav has started the process to divest Siptex, the world’s first industrial-scale automated plant for sorting post-consumer textiles by fiber type. The facility, launched in 2019, positioned Sweden as a pioneer in circular textile flows and demonstrated the feasibility of large-scale automated sorting.
Despite its success in innovation, the market for sorted textile waste has not developed as expected, with no stable demand since 2024 and no improvement anticipated before 2026–2027. Upcoming producer responsibility legislation in 2028 will further reshape roles in the textile value chain. Sysav will now explore alternatives for Siptex, aiming to transfer it to an actor better suited for future circular systems while continuing to share knowledge gained through the project.
Read more: Sysav inleder process för avyttring av textilsorteringsanläggningen Siptex | Sysav – Sydskånes avfallsaktiebolag (Only in Swedish)
The Circularity Gap Report – The Value Gap: Sweden explores how circular practices can create economic value. According to the report, Sweden loses about 19% of its potential value because of linear practices—around SEK 600 billion. Every year, products worth SEK 420 billion are thrown away even though they could be reused, repaired, or recycled. Stopping these losses is the biggest chance to keep value in the economy. Solutions include designing products for circular use, extending their life, repairing and remanufacturing, and managing resources more efficiently.
CALL OF REDISIGNING THE SWEDISH LANDFILL TAX
A recent socio-economic analysis by PwC, commissioned by Avfall Sverige, suggests that Sweden’s landfill tax may no longer deliver the intended benefits. Introduced in 2000 (when the Swedish waste management systems was different) to encourage improved waste management, the tax initially contributed to reducing landfilling. Today, however, its impact appears less clear, with calculations indicating a potential net cost to society of around SEK 37.7 million.
Although the state collects SEK 526 million annually, the overall costs may outweigh the benefits. The tax has been described as complex and administratively demanding, and it may also reduce incentives for material recycling. It is considered illogical because all waste brought into the facility is taxed, regardless of whether it is landfills.
Avfall Sverige is calling for a redesign of the tax. The analysis will serve as an important input to the ongoing review by the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
Read more: Report only available in Swedish with summary in English: 2025:17/Utredning av samhällsekonomiska konsekvenser av deponiskatt i Sverige – Avfall Sverige